U.S. adds just 29,000 jobs in September as unemployment rises to 4.2%

The Labor Department says employers added 29,000 jobs in September, well below economists' forecasts, and the unemployment rate rose to 4.2% from 4.1%. July and August were revised down by a combined 60,000 jobs. Average wages were up 3% from a year earlier, the smallest gain since May 2021, according to the AP.