U.S. employers added 162,000 jobs in August, while the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1%, according to the latest report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The increase marks a sharp turnaround from July, when payroll employment declined by 23,000.
Job growth was concentrated in a handful of industries. Food services and drinking places added 59,000 jobs, well above the sector’s average monthly gain of 12,000 over the previous year. Employment in local government education rose by 42,000, largely reversing a decline in July. Manufacturing also continued to trend upward, adding 16,000 jobs.
Other industries showed signs of weakness. Information employment fell by 23,000, while health care added 13,000 jobs — considerably below its average monthly gain of 32,000 over the previous year.
Wages, meanwhile, continued to rise. Average hourly earnings increased 10 cents, or 0.3%, in August and were up 3.1% over the past year. BLS also revised June and July payroll figures upward by a combined 55,000 jobs.
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