Payrolls Fall in September; Unemployment Rate Holds at 6.1%

U.S. payrolls fell by 159,000 in September and the unemployment rate held at 6.1%, the Labor Department said Friday.

The downturn in jobs followed a 73,000 drop in August, and the total number of jobs lost this year reached 760,000, according to Labor figures.

Economists had forecast a 105,000 jobs decline for August and the unemployment rate was expected to hold at 6.1%, Bloomberg reported.

Factory payrolls fell 51,000 after declining by 56,000 in August. Economists had forecast a 57,000 jobs decline.

Service jobs cut 82,000 workers after shedding 16,000 jobs in August, Labor said.