The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the U.S. employers added 119,000 jobs in September, led by gains in health care and retail trade ahead of the holidays. The unemployment rate rose to 4.4%, up from 4.3% in August and the highest level since Oct. 2021.
Economists forecasted payroll gains of just 50,000 jobs in September, according to a poll by FactSet. The report was the first since prior to the government shutdown, which ended last week. According to the BLS, the number of unemployed people is currently 7.6 million. The unemployment rate for prime age workers—those between ages 25 and 54—ticked up to 3.5% from 3.4% in August.
The labor force participation rate, the share of the population that is looking for work, changed little at 62.4%.
In September, employment trended up in sectors including:
- Health care (+42,800)
- Construction (+19,000)
- Social assistance (+14,300)
- Retail Trade (+13,900)
- Finance and insurance (+2,400)
- Legal services (+1,100)
Employment fell in sectors including:
- Warehousing and storage (-10,700)
- Manufacturing (-6,000)
- Administrative and support services (-18,600)
- Repair and maintenance (-1,800)
Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased by 9 cents, or 0.2%, to $36.67 in September. Twelve months ago, average hourly earnings were $35.33.
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Sources: BLS, CBS News
