The BLS Employment Situation report for August shows that the Trump economic upswing is still going strong. The economy added 201,000 jobs in August, and there was a host of other good economic news in the report. Some highlights from the report:
* In August, average hourly earnings for all employees on private non-farm payrolls rose by 10 cents to $27.16. Note that an extra 10 cents per hour multiplied by 22 eight-hour work days equals an extra $17 per month--and keep in mind that this is just the increase for August.
* Over the year, the number of long-term unemployed has declined by 403,000. So over the last year, the number of long-term jobless people has dropped by 403,000. This is a huge improvement over the Obama years--the U-6 unemployment rate remained historically high under Obama. Even when the economy did fairly well under Obama in 2016, the number of long-term unemployed barely changed at all (see, for example, the BLS reports for January through December 2016).
* Mining employment increased by 6,000 in August, after showing little change in July. Since a recent trough in October 2016, the industry has added 104,000 jobs, almost entirely in support activities for mining.
* Employment in construction continued to trend up in August (+23,000) and has increased by 297,000 over the year.
* In August, average hourly earnings for all employees on private non-farm payrolls rose by 10 cents to $27.16. Note that an extra 10 cents per hour multiplied by 22 eight-hour work days equals an extra $17 per month--and keep in mind that this is just the increase for August.
* Over the year, the number of long-term unemployed has declined by 403,000. So over the last year, the number of long-term jobless people has dropped by 403,000. This is a huge improvement over the Obama years--the U-6 unemployment rate remained historically high under Obama. Even when the economy did fairly well under Obama in 2016, the number of long-term unemployed barely changed at all (see, for example, the BLS reports for January through December 2016).
* Mining employment increased by 6,000 in August, after showing little change in July. Since a recent trough in October 2016, the industry has added 104,000 jobs, almost entirely in support activities for mining.
* Employment in construction continued to trend up in August (+23,000) and has increased by 297,000 over the year.