Job growth slowed last month, partly over the impact of the UAW strikes

Workers picket outside a Ford plant in Chicago on Oct. 10, 2023. The U.S. created 150,000 jobs in October, marking a slowdown from the previous month, partly as a result of the UAW strikes. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

U.S. employers slowed their hiring in October after a blockbuster month of job growth the previous month. The drop partly reflects the United Auto Workers strikes.

The U.S. added 150,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department said on Friday, somewhat lower than the 180,000 jobs that economists had forecast. The unemployment rate inched up to 3.9%.