Washington, February 7: US employers added 225,000 new non-farm jobs last month, far surpassing expectations, thanks to big gains in construction and leisure and hospitality, the Labor Department reported Friday.

But unemployment ticked up by a tenth of point to 3.6 percent, although that likely can be attributed to an increase in the labor force, with more people returning to the job market. The jobless rate remains near a 50-year low. US Adds 128,000 Jobs in October Amid Rising Jobless Rate of 3.6%.

The construction sector, which is highly weather-dependent, added a stunning 44,000 positions last month -- nearly four times the monthly average of 2019.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 07, 2020 07:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).