WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has reported that the U.S. economy added 29,000 jobs in September. This figure falls short of the roughly 84,000 new jobs estimated for the month by Dow Jones economists, according to CNBC. Meanwhile, the U.S. unemployment rate has slightly increased to 4.2 percent. The BLS has also downwardly revised the July job gains from +21,000 to -10,000 and the August gains from +162,000 to +133,000, totaling 60,000 fewer jobs than previously reported in those two months.
The health care sector continued its upward trend in September (+17,000), but at a slower pace than the average monthly gain over the prior 12 months (+33,000), with gains in ambulatory health care services (+13,000) and in hospitals (+12,000). Meanwhile nursing and residential care facilities lost jobs (-9,000).
Employment in construction changed little in September (+11,000), as the industry has averaged an increase of 10,000 jobs per month over the prior 12 months. Employment in nonresidential specialty trade contractors added +12,000 jobs.
Manufacturing employment is up by 72,000 since a recent low in December 2025, while adding 9,000 jobs in September. Over the month, employment increased in plastics and rubber products manufacturing (+5,000) and machinery manufacturing (+5,000).
Meanwhile, jobs in financial activities are down by 129,000 since a peak in May 2025, with most of the job loss in insurance carriers and related activities (-90,000). The overall sector lost 7,000 jobs.
Employment also showed little change over the month in other major industries including mining, quarrying, and oil-and-gas extraction; wholesale trade; retail trade; transportation and warehousing; information; professional and business services; social assistance; leisure and hospitality; and government.