Economy added 254,000 jobs in September: The key facts and figures
By
Zach Halaschak
and
Joseph Lawler
October 4, 2024 8:31 am
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The economy added 254,000 jobs in September, and the unemployment rate fell to 4.1%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.
Investors had expected roughly 148,000 new jobs and for the unemployment rate to hold steady at 4.2%.
The interpretation
“I would say this is a wow for the economy and a wow for Jerome Powell,” Dan North, a senior economist with Allianz Trade Americas, told the Washington Examiner. “It’s definitely a home-run report, and it’s certainly stronger than what the Fed was expecting.”
What it means … for Biden and Harris
The surprisingly strong job growth in September is good news for President Joe Biden, who is suffering from high disapproval ratings related to his handling of the economy, and for Vice President Kamala Harris. She and Democrats are running low on time to turn around voter perceptions of the party’s economic record before the election.
What it means for … the Fed
The Federal Reserve is likely to take the report as a sign that the economy still has momentum. That might lead it to slow its planned interest rate cuts.
The Fed cut its target interest rate last month by half a percentage point, a large rate cut by historical standards. Investors expect further rate cuts in the months ahead as the Fed tries to prevent a broader economic downturn. But signs that businesses are still adding jobs in large numbers will sway the central bank toward slower and smaller rate cuts.
The underlying reality
It is important not to read too much into any one jobs report. The payroll numbers bounce around from month to month and are revised in subsequent reports.
Instead, it is helpful to look at the trend. The three-month moving average of job gains rose in October to 186,000, above the rate needed to keep up with population growth.
more
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/finance-and-economy/3176416/economy-added-254000-jobs-in-september-the-key-facts-and-figures/