Job creation in July kept up its sizzling June pace, with nonfarm payrolls growing by 209,000 while the unemployment rate slid down to 4.3%.
Economists had been expecting payroll growth of 180,000 and a slight decline in unemployment. Last month, the economy added 231,000 jobs.
Employment rose in restaurants and bars, white collar jobs, and health care. Employment in mining and manufacturing, two major areas of focus for the Trump administration, was unchanged.
The labor force participation rate, at 62.9 percent, was little changed. This rate has remained steady for the past year.
June was revised up to 231,000 from 222,000, which means that the jobs market was even stronger than expected.
President Donald Trump tweeted out his response to the numbers.
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