I. Economy
Jobs report: hiring slows but unemployment holds at 4.1%
Employers added 142,000 jobs last month, below the six-month average, while wage growth cooled to an annual 3.6%.
US employers added 142,000 jobs in September, short of the 165,000 economists expected, but the unemployment rate held at 4.1% as fewer people searched for work. Health care and government led gains, while manufacturing and retail shed positions.
Why it matters for households
Average hourly earnings rose 0.2% on the month, bringing the annual gain to 3.6%, the lowest since 2021. Revisions subtracted 38,000 jobs from the prior two months, a reminder of how noisy the early readings can be.
Economists caution that a single reading rarely settles the debate. Revisions to earlier months have been large this year, and the gap between survey data and hard data remains unusually wide. Policymakers have said they will keep watching a broad set of indicators before changing course.
Employers added 142,000 jobs last month, below the six-month average, while wage growth cooled to an annual 3.6%.
The risks to watch
This article is for information only and is not investment advice. Figures are illustrative and may be delayed or simulated for demonstration purposes.
Filed under Economy