Reuters
U.S. jobs picture mixed as Fed policymakers ponder rate-hike pivot
Federal Reserve policymakers were provided only a few signs of encouragement on Friday as new data showed another month of robust U.S. job gains, underscoring concerns their campaign to hike interest rates to bring down high inflation has yet to really bite in the labor market or wider economy. The United States added 261,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department said in its closely watched employment report, well above the 200,000 gain expected by economists in a Reuters poll. Data for September was revised higher to show 315,000 jobs created instead of the previously reported 263,000, but the unemployment rate ticked up to 3.7% from 3.5%.