While uncertainty about the American economy persists, some indicators point toward a steadying path.

Late last month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its long awaited data on the American job market. The data reflect conditions as of September 2025. The release was delayed by the long government shutdown.

According to the BLS, the data shows that the American job market “has shown little change since April.” This characterization incorporates various indicators that are trending in slightly different directions. Overall, the market remains on a steady path that exhibits neither rapid growth nor decline.

For example, total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 119,000 in September. However, that is less than a full percentage point increase from the prior month and from September 2024.

Unemployment figures also contribute to the overall assessment of the job market. According to the BLS, the unemployment rate edged up slightly in September to 4.4%. The figure is up three-tenths of a percentage point, from 4.1%, in September of last year. The rate has been on a slow but incremental increase from July of 2022 when it measured 3.5%.

Not surprisingly, the trendline in the number of unemployed people has mirrored the pattern in the unemployment rate. In September, this number reached 7.6 million, an increase from 6.9 million in September of last year and travelling a steady upward path from the most recent bottom of 5.7 million in July 2022.

Looking at specific industries, the figures reveal diverging trends. According to the BLS data, some industries, such as retail, healthcare and food services, showed large gains in the number of people employed. Others, including transportation and warehousing, and administrative support, showed equally large declines.

Also on the positive side of the ledger, construction jobs increased by 19,000. In terms of statistical significance, that is a relatively modest increase, showing a mostly level trend line, and not significant upward movement. The growth is only 0.2% greater than the previous month, and the total number of constructions jobs, 8,305, is still down from a peak of 8,512 in July 2025.