US economy adds 254,000 jobs in September as unemployment rate softens

Unemployment at 4.1%

The US economy added 254,000 jobs in September, while the country's unemployment rate slightly cooled down from 4.2% in August to 4.1% last month.

Total nonfarm payrolls published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics today (4 October) came in significantly above market expectations, with economists polled by Reuters expecting that figure to stand at 140,000. The figures for last month exceeded the upwardly-revised 159,000 jobs created in August and higher-than-average monthly gain of 203,000 in the last 12 months, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The greatest increase took place in the food and drinking services sector, which saw jobs rise by 69,000 in September. Healthcare added 45,000 jobs last month, however be...