US June jobs added 57,000, unemployment falls to 4.2%

The U.S. labor market added jobs at a significantly slower pace in June, with employers adding 57,000 positions, according to a report released Thursday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The figure was well below economists' forecasts, which had anticipated gains of approximately 110,000 to 115,000 jobs. The unemployment rate edged down to 4.2% from 4.3% in May.

The June slowdown follows a period of stronger gains earlier in the year. The government also revised its estimates for April and May downward by a combined 74,000 jobs, indicating hiring in those months was weaker than initially reported. May's gain was revised to 129,000 from 172,000, and April's was revised to 148,000 from 179,000.

Job growth was concentrated in a few key sectors. Professional and business services added 36,000 jobs, while social assistance added 25,000. Health care employment continued to grow, adding 22,000 positions, though this was below the sector's average monthly gain over the prior year. Government employment increased by 8,000 jobs.

In a notable reversal, the leisure and hospitality sector lost 61,000 jobs in June, a decline attributed to weaker-than-usual seasonal hiring. This drop came...