Summary
The latest payrolls figure marked the fewest monthly job gains since December 2020. Analysts had expected to see 110,000 jobs added in October.
The unemployment rate held steady only because the labor force shrank. The number of people who have been unemployed for 15 weeks or more is up by about 20%.
Four main sectors have accounted for the vast majority of job growth in recent months. High interest rates have blunted the Biden administration's effort to spur blue-collar jobs.