The U.S. economy gained 1.8 million jobs in July, and the unemployment rate declined to 10.2%, according to figures released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The improvements reflect the continued resumption of economic activity that previously was curtailed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to the July job numbers, AFL-CIO Chief Economist William Spriggs tweeted:
Almost 1/3 the job gain reported by @BLS_gov for July was the 502,000 rebound in food and drink establishments, consistent with the combined rise from the household survey for those usually working part-time and continued fall in temporary layoff @AFLCIO
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) August 7, 2020
With schools closing early, the seasonal adjustments to local and state education showed up as job gains, but the @BLS_gov reports state and local employment remain over 1 million lower than February. Strong reason for state and local government aid. @AFLCIO
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) August 7, 2020
Retail trade continued to show some recovery, @BLS_gov reports 280,000 jobs came back (almost half in clothing stores). But, retail remains 913,000 it's peak in February. @AFLCIO
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) August 7, 2020
Last month's biggest job gains were in leisure and hospitality (+592,000), government (301,000), retail trade (258,000), professional and business services (170,000), other services (149,000), health care (126,000), social assistance (66,000), transportation and warehousing (38,000), manufacturing (26,000), financial activities (21,000) and construction (20,000). Mining lost 7,000 jobs in July.
In July, the unemployment rates declined for teenagers (19.3%), Black Americans (14.6%), Hispanics (12.9%), Asians (12.0%), adult women (10.5%), adult men (9.4%) and White Americans (9.2%).
The number of long-term unemployed workers (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was little changed in July.