August 08, 2006 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Payroll employment by industry, July 2006

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 113,000 in July; job growth continued in professional and business services, health care, food services, and mining.

Over-the-month change in employees on nonfarm payrolls, selected industries, July 2006
[Chart data—TXT]

The over-the-month increase was in line with the average gain for the prior 3 months but was well below the average gain for the 12 months ending in March.

Employment in professional and business services continued to grow in July. Within the industry, job gains occurred in computer systems design, architectural and engineering services, and management and technical consulting. Temporary help services employment remained flat over the month.

Health care employment rose by 23,000 in July. Nursing and residential care facilities, along with hospitals, continued to add jobs. In leisure and hospitality, food services and drinking places employment grew by 29,000 in July.

In the goods-producing sectors, manufacturing employment edged down in July; the decrease largely offset a gain in June. Mining employment grew by 8,000 in July. The mining sector has added 123,000 jobs since its most recent low in April 2003, largely reflecting gains in support activities for oil and gas.

These data on employment are from the Current Employment Statistics (CES) program and have been seasonally adjusted. More information can be found in "The Employment Situation: July 2006" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 06-1304. Data for the most recent two months are preliminary.

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