U.S. job gains in July fell slightly short of expectations, and the unemployment rate did not budge from June, according to figures from the U.S. Labor Department Friday.
American companies added 215,000 jobs for the month, while the unemployment rate remained at 5.3%, the department said. The labour force participation rate also remained flat at 62.6, its lowest level since 1977.
Economists polled by Reuters expected non-farm payroll gains of 223,000 in July, with the unemployment rate at 5.3%. However, the payroll growth was directly in line with a Dow Jones estimate of 215,000.
The U.S. stock markets, worried about a possible Federal Reserve interest rate increase, opened slightly lower Friday after the report was issued.
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