Commissioner's Statement on the Employment Situation News Release — 2018-08-03

Advance copies of this statement are made available to the press under lock-up conditions with the explicit understanding that the data are embargoed until 8:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 157,000 in July, and the unemployment rate edged down to 3.9 percent. Job gains occurred in professional and business services, in manufacturing, and in health care and social assistance. Incorporating revisions for May and June, which increased nonfarm payroll employment by 59,000, monthly job gains have averaged 224,000 over the past 3 months. Employment in professional and business services increased by 51,000 in July. Within the industry, employment edged up in temporary help services (+28,000) and in computer systems design and related services (+8,000). Over the year, professional and business services has added 518,000 jobs. Manufacturing added 37,000 jobs in July. Nearly all of the gain occurred in the durable goods component.