WASHINGTON — (CNN) Headwinds are hitting America’s job market.
The U.S. economy only added 142,000 jobs in September and the number of jobs created in July and August were revised down. The unemployment rate stayed at 5.1%, its lowest level in 7 years.
Anything near or above 200,000 jobs is considered healthy and economists surveyed by CNNMoney predicted there would be 204,000 jobs gained in the month.
The Labor Department revised down job gains in July by 22,000 and August by 37,000. The weak September jobs report could be a sign that slowing global economy is beginning to hurt the U.S. job market.
The jobs report also holds a lot of significance for America’s central bank, the Federal Reserve, which is getting ready to raise its key interest rate for the first time in almost a decade. A Fed rate hike would be a good sign of the economy’s health.
But overall, the September jobs report raises questions about the economy’s momentum going into the end of the year.
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