10.04.2019
The unemployment rate declined to 3.5 percent in September and total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 136000 the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment in health care and in professional and business services continued to trend up.
The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for July was revised up by 7000 from +159000 to +166000 and the change for August was revised up by 38000 from +130000 to +168000. With these revisions employment gains in July and August combined were 45000 more than previously reported. (Monthly revisions result from additional reports received from businesses and government agencies since the last published estimates and from the recalculation of seasonal factors.) After revisions job gains have averaged 157000 per month over the last 3 months.
In September health care added 39000 jobs in line with its average monthly gain over the prior 12 months. Ambulatory health care services (+29000) and hospitals (+8000) added jobs over the month. Employment in professional and business services continued to trend up in September (+34000). The industry has added an average of 35000 jobs per month thus far in 2019 compared with 47000 jobs per month in 2018. Employment in government continued on an upward trend in September (+22000). Federal hiring for the 2020 Census was negligible (+1000). Government has added 147000 jobs over the past 12 months largely in local government. Employment in transportation and warehousing edged up in September (+16000). Within the industry job growth occurred in transit and ground passenger transportation (+11000) and in couriers and messengers (+4000). Retail trade employment changed little in September (-11000). Within the industry clothing and clothing accessories stores lost 14000 jobs while food and beverage stores added 9000 jobs. Since reaching a peak in January 2017 retail trade has lost 197000 jobs. Employment in other major industries including mining construction manufacturing wholesale trade information financial activities and leisure and hospitality showed little change over the month.
In September average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls at $28.09 were little changed (-1 cent) after rising by 11 cents in August. Over the past 12 months average hourly earnings have increased by 2.9 percent. In September average hourly earnings of private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees rose by 4 cents to $23.65.
The full BLS press release on the September 2019 employment situation can be accessed in the link below:
The next employment situation report for October 2019 is scheduled to be released on Friday November 1 2019.
