US September Jobs Report Shows Weaker Growth Than Expected Ahead of Midterms

The United States added just 29,000 jobs in September, according to new figures released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, falling well short of economists' expectations.

Forecasters had predicted job growth of between roughly 84,000 and 90,000 positions for the month, according to the report, making the actual figure a significant shortfall compared with those projections.

The unemployment rate also edged higher, rising to 4.2%, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the previous month's reading.

The report is the last major labor market snapshot to be published before the midterm elections, giving voters and policymakers a fresh read on the health of the US economy as campaigning enters its final stretch.

Monthly employment data of this kind is among the most closely watched indicators of economic momentum, offering insight into consumer spending power, business confidence and broader growth trends. Weaker-than-expected hiring figures are typically monitored closely by the Federal Reserve as it weighs future interest rate decisions.

Further details on which sectors contributed most to the shortfall, and how the September figures compare with any revisions to prior months' data, were not immediately available.