Posted August 5, 2011
Manufacturing jobs picture brightens
Manufacturers added 24,000 jobs in July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
Nearly all of the increase was in durable goods manufacturing. Within durable goods, the motor vehicles and parts industry had fewer seasonal layoffs than typical for July, contributing to a seasonally adjusted employment increase of 12,000.
Manufacturing has added 289,000 jobs since its most recent trough in December 2009, and durable goods manufacturing added 327,000 jobs during this period.
In July, employment in mining rose by 9,000. Virtually all of the gain (+8,000) occurred in support activities for mining. Employment in mining has increased by 140,000 since a recent low in October 2009.
Construction employment rose by 8,000 during the month.
Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 117,000 in July, and the unemployment rate dropped slightly to 9.1 percent.
