The U.S. economy added 201,000 jobs in August, according to the monthly employment report released today by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This seasonally adjusted figure is 36.7 percent lower than July's downwardly revised addition of 147,000 jobs and marks an 9 percent decrease from last August, when 221,000 jobs were created.
In August, the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.9 percent, and the number of unemployed persons declined moderated by 46,000 to 6.2 million.
Average hourly earnings for employees on private non-farm payrolls increased by 10 cents in August to $27.16, a 77-cent (or 2.9 percent) increase from a year prior.
In August, overall construction industry employment increased by 23,000 positions, to a total of 7.25 million jobs. Since last year, construction employment has expanded by 297,000 positions. Employment related to the construction of nonresidential buildings increased by 3,200 positions last month, and the number of positions in residential construction rose by 4,200, resulting in a total of 1.61 million total jobs. In heavy and civil engineering, the number of positions fell by 200, while employment of specialty trade contractors increased by 15,300 positions.
Employment in manufacturing fell by 3,000 jobs last month, with losses attributable to a decrease of 4,000 jobs in durable goods industries.
Meanwhile, payrolls in architectural and engineering services increased by 6,000 jobs in August, to a rounded total of 1.48 million positions.
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