US job growth beats expectations in Sept, but jobless rate rises to 4.4%

US job growth accelerated in September, but the unemployment rate rose to 4.4 per cent and the economy shed jobs in the prior month, suggesting labour market conditions remained sluggish.

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Non-farm payrolls increased by 119,000 jobs after a downwardly revised 4,000 drop in August, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said on Nov 20.

Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 50,000 jobs would be added after a previously reported 22,000 gain in August.

The report was initially due on Oct 3, but was delayed by the 43-day shutdown of the government.

The longest shutdown in history has forced the BLS to cancel the release of October’s report as no data was collected for the household survey to calculate the unemployment rate for that month.

October non-farm payrolls will instead be combined with November’s employment report now due on Dec 16, the BLS said.