Harris Financial Group managing director Jamie Cox analyzes post-Thanksgiving markets, retail and jobs sectors and the bitcoin rally.
U.S. job growth rebounded in November with strong payroll gains after the lackluster October jobs report reflected labor disruptions due to hurricanes and union strikes.
The Labor Department on Friday reported that employers added 227,000 jobs in November, beating the prediction made by LSEG economists.
The unemployment rate ticked higher to 4.2%, up from 4.1% a month ago and also in line with expectations.
The number of jobs added in the prior two months were both revised higher, with job creation in September revised up by 32,000 from a gain of 223,000 to 255,000, while October was revised up by 24,000 from a gain of 12,000 to 36,000.
Private sector payrolls added 194,000 jobs in November, just shy of the 200,000 estimated by LSEG economists.
The manufacturing sector saw employment rise by 22,000 jobs in November, including an increase of 32,000 in transportation equipment manufacturing following the return of workers who were on strike.
That follows a decline of 46,000 manufacturing jobs in October which the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) attributed largely to strike activity in the transportation equipment manufacturing sector, as about 33,000 unionized machinists at Boeing were on strike from early September to early November.
Health care added 54,000 jobs in November, in line with the sector’s average monthly gain of 59,000 over the prior 12 months. Within the sector, ambulatory health care services added 22,000 jobs, including 16,000 jobs in home health care services, while employment also rose in hospitals (+19,000) and nursing and residential care facilities (+12,000).
Leisure and hospitality employment rose by 53,000 jobs in November after it was little changed from the prior month. That figure is above the average of 21,000 jobs added per month in the sector over the last 12 months, with most of the gain occurring at food services and drinking places (+29,000).
Government employment rose by 33,000 jobs in November, with the growth concentrated in state government (+20,000). The government sector’s gains were mostly in line with the 12-month average gain of 41,000.
Employment was little changed in construction (+10,000 jobs), financial activities (+17,000), and transportation and warehousing (+3,400).
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
