Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

US job market still weak

Updated at 6:00 am on 5 September 2010

Figures for employment in the United States reveal a better than expected rise in private-sector jobs, but the jobs market overall remains weak.

Labor Department figures show the US economy shed another 54,000 jobs in August. The BBC reports it was the third consecutive month that jobs have been lost.

As a result, the unemployment rate rose to 9.6%, from 9.5% in July.

However, analysts welcomed news that the the private sector had created a better-than-expected 67,000 jobs.

The BBC reports the overall loss of jobs in August was because of a fall in government employment.

Government jobs fell by 121,000, largely because of the loss of 114,000 temporary employees who had been taken on to compile the US census, but who finished their work in August.

Employment in the healthcare sector rose by 28,000, while the construction and mining sectors also saw healthy gains. However, manufacturing employment fell by 27,000.

Previous months revised

The Labor Department has also revised its figures for the previous two months.

Job losses in July were revised down from 131,000 to 54,000, while those in June were revised from 221,000 to 175,000.

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