US economy added 162,000 jobs in August, unemployment steady at 4.1%

The US economy created 162,000 jobs in August, rebounding after a sluggish summer for the labour market, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.1%, down from a recent peak of 4.5% last November. Private companies accounted for only 38,000 of the new jobs, with monthly gains fluctuating sharply — from 214,000 in March to just 21,000 in July.