The US unemployment rate remained stuck at a four-year high of 4.9% in September before taking the full impact of the terrorist assault in New York and Washington, according to the latest figures from the Labour Department.
Non-farm payrolls fell by 199,000, the biggest drop since February 1991, it said. A net 488,000 jobs have been lost since March. The September 11 hijacking attacks had little impact on the survey, however.
'In addition to the tragic loss of life, the attacks caused many businesses to shut down for one or more days,' the Labour Department said in a statement. But in the surveys, anyone paid during the survey period, even if temporarily absent from their jobs, is considered to be employed.
The attacks were likely to start hurting the jobless figures for October, the department added.
Every major employment sector fell in September. Manufacturing jobs fell 93,000 in September after falling a revised 146,000 in August. Services-producing sector jobs fell 102,000 in September, marking the first drop in the sector since August 2000.
The index of aggregate hours worked fell 0.3% in September to 149.7 hours. Overtime in the manufacturing sector fell by six minutes to 3.9 hours. The average workweek rose by six minutes to 34.1 hours and average weekly earnings increased by 0.5% to $492.40.
