US employment falls by 23,000 in July; spring totals revised down

May and June job totals cut by 103,000 combined

The US economy lost 23,000 jobs in July, official figures said, with employment declining during the summer in local government education and retail. Analysts had predicted an uptick in hiring in the world’s largest economy, but the number of roles fell by 23,000 over the month.

The official statistics body also revised down the number of jobs added in May and June, reporting 103,000 fewer roles than previously stated across the two months.

The unemployment rate remained steady at 4.2%, official statistics showed, despite the decline in payrolls.

The July decline and the large downward revision to the spring months pointed to a labor market that weakened more through the summer than earlier data had indicated.