Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 209,000 in July, a small decrease from June’s upwardly revised figure of 231,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The national unemployment rate fell to 4.3%, staying within a 10 basis point range in the last four months.
Private service-providing industries added a net 183,000 jobs, led by gains in leisure and hospitality, which added 62,000 during the month, and by the health care and social assistance sector, which added 45,000.
Goods-producing employment rose by 22,000 jobs during the month, as gains in durable goods manufacturing led by adding 13,000 in July.
The civilian labor force participation rate was 62.9%, a 0.1% increase from June. Workers unemployed for less than 14 weeks decreased 88,000, while the number of long-term unemployed, those jobless for 27 weeks or more, increased 121,000 and accounted for 25.9% of the unemployed. The number of discouraged workers was 536,000, a 22,000 increase from June.
Average hourly earnings increased by 9 cents to $26.36, after a 5-cent increase in June. Over the past year, average hourly earnings have risen by 65 cents, or 2.5%.
Read the BLS release.
