A Summer Slowdown: U.S. Created 156,000 Jobs In August

The U.S. economy added 156,000 jobs in August while the unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.4 percent.

Economists had expected the report to show 180,000 jobs. Unemployment was expected to come in at 4.3 percent.

The very good jobs numbers from earlier months were revised downward. June’s numbers were revised down to 210,000 from 2321,000. July’s numbers went to 189,000 from 209,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Manufacturing added 36,000 jobs. Construction jobs rose by 28,000. Health care by 20,000.

August payrolls are often volatile due to problems with properly adjusting for seasonal distortions. The initial numbers often come in weak and get revised upward in subsequent reports.