WASHINGTON: US businesses reported strong hiring and wage increases in October although the unemployment rate climbed, offering a mixed picture as Federal Reserve officials debate how long to extend their campaign to curb elevated inflation.
Nonfarm payrolls increased 261,000 last month following a gain of 315,000 in September, a Labor Department report showed on Friday. Those figures were derived from a survey of businesses, while one of households painted a weaker picture with higher joblessness, particularly among women.
