October 10, 2006 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Changes in payroll employment by industry, September 2006

Total nonfarm payroll employment was little changed (+51,000) in September—over the month, employment rose in health care and financial activities and declined in manufacturing.

Over-the-month change in employees on nonfarm payrolls, selected industry sectors, September 2006
[Chart data—TXT]

Financial activities gained 16,000 jobs in September, as employment continued to trend up in credit intermediation and insurance.

Within the education and health services sector, health care employment continued to grow, with a gain of 24,000 in September. Within the industry, ambulatory health care services (which includes doctors' offices and home health care) and hospitals added jobs.

Within professional and business services, accounting and bookkeeping services added 10,000 jobs in September, and employment in the management of companies and enterprises grew by 6,000.

In the trade, transportation, and utilities sector, employment continued to trend up in the durable goods component of wholesale trade. Within the retail trade industry, sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores lost 8,000 jobs, as did general merchandise stores.

Employment in food services and drinking places, part of the leisure and hospitality sector, edged up in September (+15,000).

Reflecting the continued slowdown in the housing market, employment in construction was little changed over the month. Employment in mining was flat in September.

Manufacturing lost 19,000 jobs in September. Within durable goods, factory job losses occurred in several industries that are related to home building. Employment continued to trend downward in a number of nondurable goods manufacturing industries.

These data are from the Current Employment Statistics program and are seasonally adjusted. These data are preliminary and subject to revision. More information can be found in "The Employment Situation: September 2006" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 06-1770.

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