Thu, 20 Nov 2025

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 US jobs saw surprising jump in September after slow summer

The report, which had been delayed by the government shutdown, gives the first official data on the job market in weeks.

* US job market sees surprising pick-up with 119,000 jobs added in September, more than double expected.
* Unemployment rate rose from 4.3% to 4.4%.
* Labor Department figures showed a mixed picture, with health care firms, restaurants, and bars leading the gains, while transportation and warehousing firms, manufacturers, and government shed jobs.
* Private report by Challenger, Gray & Christmas found number of job cuts in October was highest since 2003.
* Telecoms giant Verizon announced 13,000 job cuts due to "changes in technology and economy".
* Unemployment rate for college graduates rose to 2.8%, up from 2.3% a year earlier.
* Analysts say job growth has barely budged since April, putting pressure on Federal Reserve to cut interest rates.
* Fed is divided about need for further cuts due to concerns over inflation and AI impact on jobs.
* Report showed government shutdown delayed publication of figures by nearly seven weeks, leaving policymakers guessing about job market.
* US added just 72,000 jobs in July and shed 4,000 positions in August, lower than previously estimated.
* Next official report on November job market to be released in mid-December.
* Analysts say Fed will likely hold off on cutting interest rates in December due to inconclusive nature of latest figures.
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