The Department of Labor (DOL) released the August jobs report on September 6, revealing the United States added 142,000 jobs and unemployment decreased slightly from 4.3% from 4.2%. The report also included downward revisions to prior jobs reports: June numbers were adjusted to 61,000 from the previously reported 118,000 and July was adjusted to 89,000, 25,000 lower than initially reported.

The majority of job gains were concentrated in two sectors: construction, which added 34,000 positions, and health care, which saw a similar increase in payrolls. Average hourly earnings, which indicate wage growth, increased by 0.4% last month. Over the past year, they have risen by 3.8%.