Employment Situation |
Released On 9/5/2014 8:30:00 AM For Aug, 2014
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Prior | Prior Revised | Consensus | Consensus Range | Actual |
Nonfarm Payrolls - M/M change | 209,000 | 212,000 | 230,000 | 195,000 to 279,000 | 142,000 |
Unemployment Rate - Level | 6.2 % |
| 6.1 % | 6.0 % to 6.2 % | 6.1 % |
Average Hourly Earnings - M/M change | 0.0 % |
| 0.2 % | 0.1 % to 0.3 % | 0.2 % |
Av Workweek - All Employees | 34.5 hrs |
| 34.5 hrs | 34.5 hrs to 34.6 hrs | 34.5 hrs |
Private Payrolls - M/M change | 198,000 | 213,000 | 220,000 | 187,000 to 270,000 | 134,000 |
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Highlights
The employment situation for August was notably disappointing. But some
commentators note that August is a very revisable number.
Payroll
jobs rose only 142,000, after a 212,000 increase in July and 267,000
boost in June. Net revisions for June and July were down 28,000.
Market expectations for August were for a 230,000 gain.
The unemployment rate eased back to 6.1 percent from 6.2 percent in July. Expectations were for 6.1 percent.
Going
back to the payroll report, private payrolls rose 134,000 in August
after a 213,000 gain in July. Professional and business services added
47,000 jobs in August. Employment in health care increased by 34,000 in
August. Within leisure and hospitality, employment in food services
and drinking places continued to trend up in August (+22,000).
Construction employment continued to trend up in August (+20,000).
Manufacturing
employment was unchanged in August, following an increase of 28,000 in
July. Motor vehicles and parts lost 5,000 jobs in August, after adding
13,000 jobs in July. Auto manufacturers laid off fewer workers than
usual for factory retooling in July, and fewer workers than usual were
recalled in August.
Average hourly earnings rose 0.2 percent,
matching expectations and improving over July's 0.1 percent. Average
weekly hours were unchanged at 34.5 hours.
Overall, the latest
numbers bolster the arguments for Fed doves to keep policy loose. On
the news, equity futures rose and were less negative.
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Market Consensus before announcement
Nonfarm payroll employment was on the soft side in July but still
moderately positive. Total nonfarm payroll jobs rose 209,000 in July
after a 298,000 gain in June and a 229,000 rise in May. The net revision
for the prior two months was up 15,000. The unemployment rate nudged
up to 6.2 percent from 6.1 percent in June. Expectations were for 6.1
percent. The expanded underemployment rate ("U-6") rose to 12.2 percent
from 12.1 percent in June. Turning back to the payroll report, private
jobs advanced 198,000 after a 270,000 increase the month before.
Analysts forecast 233,000. It was the goods-producing sector that was
relatively healthy, gaining 58,000 in July, following a 38,000 rise in
June. Both manufacturing and construction were healthy. Average weekly
hours were unchanged at 34.5 hours. Growth in average hourly earnings
was flat at 0.0 percent after a 0.2 percent rise in June.
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Definition
The employment situation is a set of labor market indicators based on
two separate surveys in this one report. The unemployment rate equals
the number of unemployed persons divided by the total number of persons
in the labor force, which comes from a survey of 60,000 households (this
is called the household survey). Workers are only counted once, no
matter how many jobs they have, or whether they are only working
part-time. In order to be counted as unemployed, one must be actively
looking for work. Other commonly known figures from the Household Survey
include the labor supply and discouraged workers.
Why Investors Care
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During the mature phase of an
economic expansion, monthly payrolls gains of 150,000 or so are
considered relatively healthy. In the early stages of recovery though,
gains are expected to surpass 250,000 per month.
Data Source: Haver Analytics
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The civilian unemployment rate
is a lagging indicator of economic activity. During a recession, many
people leave the labor force entirely, so the jobless rate may not
increase as much as expected.
This means that the jobless rate may continue to increase in the
early stages of recovery because more people are returning to the
labor force as they believe they will be able to find work.
The civilian unemployment rate
tends towards greater stability than payroll employment on a monthly
basis. It reveals the degree to which labor resources are utilized in
the economy.
Data Source: Haver Analytics
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