U.S. gains 213,000 jobs in June

WASHINGTON — Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 213,000 jobs in June 2018, according to the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), but the  unemployment rate inched up to 4 percent from 3.8 percent in May.

The largest gains in June were in professional business services (50,000 jobs) and manufacturing (36,000), the BLS report said. Motor vehicles and parts manufacturing added 12,000 jobs in June after losing 8,000 in May.

There were also strong gains in health care (25,000 jobs) and construction (13,000 jobs), according to the BLS, but retail trade lost 22,000 jobs in June, while wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing saw little change in employment.

The BLS figures compare favorably with those of payroll services firm ADP Inc., which issued its employment report July 5.

According to ADP, nonfarm payroll employment increased by 177,000 jobs in June. Medium-sized businesses (50 to 499 employees) enjoyed the largest job gains during the month, with 80,000 new employees.

Large businesses, with 500 or more employees, gained 69,000 jobs in June, while small businesses, with one to 49 employees, added 29,000 jobs. (Because of rounding, ADP employments figures don't always add up evenly.)

Goods-producing industries' employment grew by 29,000 jobs in June, while service-providing industries added 148,000 jobs, ADP said. Education/health services saw the biggest gains with 46,000 jobs, followed by professional/business services with 33,000, the company said. Manufacturing jobs increased by 12,000, it said.

Franchise industry employers added 13,800 jobs in June, nearly all in restaurant franchises, according to ADP. Auto parts and dealers, by contrast, added only 400 jobs, it said.

Meanwhile, small business owners are continuing to hire new employees and create new jobs at historically high levels, according to the Monthly Jobs Report for June 2018 from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).

Sixty-three percent of NFIB members polled reported hiring or trying to hire new employees, the federation said June 5.

“Small business owners, once again, are continuing to be the driving force of our economy,” NFIB President and CEO Juanita Duggan said.

Also, the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) celebrated the strong increase in manufacturing jobs. The U.S. economy has created 285,000 manufacturing jobs in the past year, the AAM said.

“For the fourth consecutive month that steel and aluminum tariffs have been in place, manufacturing has added new jobs,” said AAM President Scott Paul.

“It's time to acknowledge that predictions that the steel tariffs would bring doom and gloom were wildly off base,” Mr. Paul said.

“The long-term benefits to employment and the U.S. economy from leveling the playing field on trade can be secured. But we've got to give this strategy a fighting chance.”