The Labor Department reported that U.S. employers added 209,000 jobs in July and prior months were revised slightly higher as the unemployment rate rose from 6.1 percent to 6.2 percent, due largely to people entering the labor force but not being able to find work.
In a separate report from the Institute for Supply Management, the broadest measure of the nation’s manufacturing sector showed strong growth last month as the Purchasing Managers Index rose from 55.3 in June to 57.1 in July, the highest level since April 2011.
The key new orders index jumped from 58.9 to 63.4, the best reading of the year, and the employment index rose from 52.8 to 58.2, the best reading in over two years.
