U.S. Added 209K Jobs in July, Unemployment Down to 4.3%

The U.S. economy added 209,000 jobs in July, exceeding analysts’ expectations and indicating continued strength in American hiring. Unemployment edged down to 4.3 percent—matching May’s level and the lowest recorded in 16 years. Average hourly earnings rose 2.5 percent from a year earlier. The Wall Street Journal reports the “food services and drinking places” category led all sectors in hiring, with 53,000 new jobs cited by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.