August was the second-weakest month for job growth in 2015 so far. The U.S. economy added 173,000 nonfarm jobs last month, according to the latest employment report released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That growth is 72,000 jobs less than what the economy added in July (revised up from the initially reported 215,000 jobs added). The BLS number is also 17,000 jobs less than what payroll company ADP and Moody’s Analytics reported on Wednesday.
Both the manufacturing and architectural and engineering services sectors lost jobs. Construction added 3,000 jobs. August was the worst month for manufacturing jobs since July of 2013, and the worst for architectural and engineering services since January of 2010. (Although these numbers are subject to revisions in the coming months.)
Within the construction sector, jobs in the construction of buildings decreased by 1,400. Heavy and civil engineering added 1,500 jobs, and specialty trade contractors added 3,100 jobs. Jobs in residential construction (specialty trade contractors and construction of buildings) fared better than nonresidential construction jobs, adding 2,400 jobs and losing 700 jobs, respectively.
