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U.S. employers added only 22,000 jobs in August, a significant slowdown from July's 79,000. The unemployment rate rose to 4.3%, the highest since 2021. This follows a disappointing July report that led to the firing of the BLS head by President Trump. Factories and construction sectors shed jobs, and revisions showed job losses in June. While average hourly earnings increased, the overall job market shows signs of weakening, attributed to factors like the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes and uncertainty surrounding Trump's economic policies. Concerns exist about declining survey response rates impacting data accuracy.

Prepared by Christopher Adams and reviewed by editorial team.