US hiring weakens sharply in August as jobs market stalls | Business

WASHINGTON, Sept 6, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - US job growth stalled in August while unemployment crept up to its highest level since 2021, in a closely watched report Friday after weak data earlier prompted President Donald Trump to fire a key economic official. Overall, the figures confirmed a labor market slowdown in the world's biggest economy as businesses pull back on hiring while grappling with uncertainty sparked in large part by Trump's fast-changing trade wars. US job growth came in at 22,000 last month, down from July's 79,000 figure, said the Department of Labor. The jobless rate edged up from 4.2 percent to 4.3 percent, in line with analysts' expectations but reaching its highest level since 2021. Job growth in June,...