September 2020 Non-Farm Payroll Employment (NFP)

 

On October 2nd, 2020 the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that September Non-Farm Payroll Employment rose by 661,000 new jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.5% to 7.9% (see full release here).

The unemployment rate dropped below the key 8% level although job gains were below estimates forecasted by Marketwatch at 810,000. September represents the fifth consecutive month of gains since the massive COVID-19 & shutdown related layoffs in March and April.

BLS reported that leisure & hospitality added 318,000 jobs and despite gains of 3.8 million over the past five months remains 2.3 million below February’s peak level. This illustrates the considerable challenges that industry still faces. Retail trade added 142,000 new jobs in September.

Revisions to July & August netted an increase of 145,000 jobs. Average hourly earnings for all employees was little changed at $29.47 and the average workweek increased by 0.1 hours.

BLS also reported that despite solid gains in each of the past five months, total employment is still 10.7 million below the February peak. Overall, employment numbers continue to improve as the economy heals from COVID-19 related shutdowns.

 

This material is provided by Schmitt Wealth Advisers for informational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as a substitute for personalized investment advice or as a recommendation or solicitation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Opinions expressed by Schmitt Wealth Advisers are based on economic or market conditions at the time this material was written. Economies and markets fluctuate. Actual economic or market events may turn out differently than anticipated. Facts presented have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Schmitt Wealth Advisers, however, cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such information. Past performance may not be indicative of future results.

 

More Posts Like This

  • 2024 Quick Reference Guide: Our Suggested Resources

    Our Outlook

    8 Respected Perspectives to Help Prepare for the New Year You can start planning for 2024 today. And Schmitt Wealth Advisers is here to help. We’re constantly reading and analyzing market news, forecasts and predictions. This resource guide represents the most important articles we’ve found for insights into next year. Have a look at what […]

  • Important ‘Required Minimum Distribution’ Changes for 2024

    Our Outlook

    What Retirement Plan Owners Need to Know About RMDs Going into the New Year The “Required Minimum Distribution” (RMD) for a retirement account are the rules that the IRS sets for how much a plan owner needs to withdraw in a given year. These rules are updated from time-to-time, and here are some important changes […]