US Employers Add 157,000 Jobs, Jobless Rate Hits 3.9 Percent

<p>U.S. employers slowed their hiring in July, adding 157,000 jobs, a solid gain but below the healthy pace they maintained in the first half of this year.&nbsp;</p>

Friday, August 3rd 2018, 11:25 am

By: News 9


U.S. employers slowed their hiring in July, adding 157,000 jobs, a solid gain but below the healthy pace they maintained in the first half of this year.

The Labor Department says the unemployment rate ticked down to 3.9 percent from 4 percent. That's near an 18-year low of 3.8 percent reached in May.

Employers added an average of 224,000 new workers in the first six months of this year, a faster pace than in 2017. The pickup has impressed many economists because it's happening late in the economic expansion, which has entered its 10th year and is now the second-longest in U.S. history.

The economy grew in the April-June quarter at its fastest pace in four years. Business and consumers are optimistic, suggesting solid hiring is likely to continue.

logo

Get The Daily Update!

Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox!

More Like This

August 3rd, 2018

March 22nd, 2024

March 14th, 2024

February 9th, 2024

Top Headlines

March 27th, 2024

March 27th, 2024

March 27th, 2024

March 27th, 2024