US adds a robust 254,000 jobs and unemployment dips to 4.1% in sign of still-sturdy labor market

America’s employers added a surprisingly strong 254,000 jobs in September, the latest evidence that the U.S. labor market is still solid enough to support steady hiring and a growing economy

By The Associated Press

October 04, 2024 at 7:51 am CDT

FILE - An employee scans incoming items at a receiving station at the Amazon OXR1 fulfillment center in Oxnard, Calif., on Aug. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File) (Damian Dovarganes/AP)

WASHINGTON — (AP) — America’s employers added a surprisingly strong 254,000 jobs in September, the latest evidence that the U.S. labor market is still solid enough to support steady hiring and a growing economy.

Last month’s hiring gain was up sharply from the 159,000 jobs that were added in August, and the unemployment dropped from 4.2% to 4.1%, the Labor Department said Friday.

The latest figures suggest that many companies are still confident enough to fill jobs despite the continued pressure of high interest rates. Few employers are laying off workers, though many have grown more cautious about hiring.

The economy’s progress in taming inflation led the Federal Reserve last month to cut its benchmark interest rate for the first time in more than four years. The Fed said it wanted to ease the cost of borrowing to help bolster the job market.