337,000 jobs added in October, none in manufacturing

Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 337,000 in October, double the number economists had predicted, and the unemployment rate was about unchanged at 5.5 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported November 5. However, manufacturing employment was about unchanged in October and has shown little change since May. Manufacturing added 82,000 jobs over the February through May period.

Construction employment rose sharply over the month, and several service-providing industries also added jobs.