The U.S. added 528,000 jobs in July as the jobs market returned to pre-pandemic levels, reports The Guardian. The U.S. has now added 22 million jobs since reaching a low in April 2020. The unemployment rate dipped to 3.5% in July, equal to its rate in February 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S.
The far stronger than expected report comes a month after the labor department announced the economy added 398,000 jobs in June, 26,000 more than its first estimate. Economists had been expecting jobs growth to slow in July and the latest figures from the labor department were far stronger than the average 388,000 jobs gained over the last four months.
Job growth was widespread, led by gains in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, and healthcare.
