Jobs report disappointing nationally, waiting on Missouri's September numbers

The U.S. Labor Department reported Friday 194,000 jobs were added to the workforce in September, well below the 500,000 analysts had forecast -- and the lowest new employment figure since January.

The Washington Post reported the steep one-month decline is at least partly because of the large number of people, primarily women, leaving the labor force.

Additionally, Congress permitted extra unemployment benefits to expire for 6 million Americans last month.

Last month's jobs report for the Show Me State was not available at presstime.

In August, Missouri's seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment was 2,839,400, up by 7,300 from the revised July 2021 figure.

Missouri's unemployment rate in August was 4.0%, below the national rate for every month since February 2020, prior to the pandemic.

September's U.S. jobless rate was 4.8%, falling from 5.2% in August and 5.4% in July.

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