Job creation in the US falls slightly: the economy added 263,000 jobs in September

(Credit: Spencer Platt / Getty Images) (CNN Spanish) –– The fever of the labor market in the United States has not yet completely subsided: the economy added 263,000 jobs in September, which represents a reduction compared to 315,000 in August. The unemployment rate fell to 3.5%. Amid the possible increase in oil prices in the face of the OPEC cut and inflation that continues through the roof, the country’s eyes were on this Friday’s report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS, for its acronym in English). Precisely, the behavior of the labor market ––and if it shows signs of contraction–– is one of the many crucial factors that will help the Federal Reserve determine its next steps in its fight against inflation not registered in decades. Forecasts estimated that the US economy added 250,000 jobs in September, according to Refinitiv estimates. Employment data for August already indicated that the historically tight labor market has contracted somewhat. That month’s employment report revealed that the United States added 315,000 jobs, a much lower level than the average of 512,000 jobs gained in the last 12 months. The number of available job vacancies also fell, declining by 1.1 million, the largest monthly decline outside of the pandemic, according to the Job Offers and Labor Turnover Survey published on Tuesday.