(BLS) US total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 943,000 in July, more than expected 845,000 as hiring accelerated amid Covid-19 variant fears.
Following the uptick in payrolls, unemployment rate dropped by 0.5% to 5.4% in July, to remain 3.5% above the pre-pandemic level, but below expected 5.7%.
Average hourly earnings rose by 0.4% in July, with the labor force participation rate up to 61.7%, the highest rate since the start of the pandemic.
Leisure and hospitality led in job creation, adding 380,000 positions, about 253,000 from bars and restaurants.
Education contributed 261,000 new hires, as professional and business services added 60,000 jobs in July.
About 9.8 million job openings were reported as of July 16, more than 8.7% million people considered unemployed.
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