From the BLS:
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 222,000 in June, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 4.4 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment increased in health care, social assistance, financial activities, and mining.
…
The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for April was revised up from +174,000 to +207,000, and the change for May was revised up from +138,000 to +152,000. With these revisions, employment gains in April and May combined were 47,000 more than previously reported.
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In June, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 4 cents to $26.25. Over the year, average hourly earnings have risen by 63 cents, or 2.5 percent.
emphasis added
Click on graph for larger image.
The first graph shows the monthly change in payroll jobs, ex-Census (meaning the impact of the decennial Census temporary hires and layoffs is removed – mostly in 2010 – to show the underlying payroll changes).
Total payrolls increased by 222 thousand in June (private payrolls increased 187 thousand).
Payrolls for April and May were revised up by a combined 47 thousand.
This graph shows the year-over-year change in total non-farm employment since 1968.
In June the year-over-year change was 2.24 million jobs. This is a decent year-over-year gain.
The third graph shows the employment population ratio and the participation rate.
The Labor Force Participation Rate increased in June to 62.8%. This is the percentage of the working age population in the labor force. A large portion of the recent decline in the participation rate is due to demographics.
The Employment-Population ratio increased to 60.1% (black line).
I’ll post the 25 to 54 age group employment-population ratio graph later.
The fourth graph shows the unemployment rate.
The unemployment rate increased in June to 4.4%.
This was above expectations of 170,000 jobs, and the previous two months were revised up. A solid report.
I’ll have much more later …