US gains only 661,000 jobs in September, unemployment rate falls to 7.9 pc
Oct 02, 2020
Washington [US], October 2 : The United States has gained only 661,000 jobs in September, which is less than half the number it has in August, the Department of Labor said on Friday.
Meanwhile, the unemployment rate has fallen to 7.9 per cent.
"Today's report shows 877,000 private-sector jobs added back in September, and an additional 145,000 jobs from July and August. However, the report reflects a seasonally-adjusted loss of 350,000 jobs in public and private education. Large gains were made in lower-wage jobs in retail and leisure and hospitality, and manufacturing added 66,000 jobs, its largest increase since June," said US Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia.
He further said, "More than half the jobs lost from the pandemic have now been restored, and the third quarter ended with a 7.9 per cent unemployment rate, half the 15.8 percent third quarter unemployment rate projected by the Congressional Budget Office in May."
According to Sputnik, the US economy lost more than 21 million jobs for all of March and April, at the height of lockdowns forced by the COVID-19.
