July saw 163,000 people find work in the world's largest economy, beating an forecast of 100,000. The services sector accounted for the majority of the figure, which was almost 100,000 stronger than June's tally, according to the Labor Department.
Reaction to the surprise remained relatively muted among economists because the pace of job creation is still short of the roughly 200,000 monthly rate needed to bring down the unemployment level. That rate, which is calculated by the government using a separate survey, edged up to 8.3pc in July from 8.2pc.
Although more people found work last month, economists said the report does not change the picture of an economy that has lost momentum since the first quarter. Job creation averaged more than 200,000 a month in the first three months of the year.
Friday's report showed that the underemployment rate, a measure that includes those having to settle for part-time work, climbed to 15pc in July from 14.9pc. The average hourly earnings edged up 2 cents to $23.52.
If there is certainty that the US economy has slowed since first quarter of the year, opinion remains divided on whether it will stall completely or pick up pace. With uncertainty hanging over US tax and spending policies next year and Europe's debt crisis unresolved, there are more potential risks.
For now, at least, the better-than-expected figure for July was enough to bolster the rally in the FTSE 100 and has left US stock markets poised to open higher.
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