Manufacturing jobs overall were little changed in May, according to a breakdown by industry released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Durable goods added 3,000 jobs while non-durable goods lost 5,000 for an overall loss of 2,000.
Within durable goods, transportation was the best performer with a gain of 10,500 jobs. That included an increase of 6,800 in motor vehicles and parts. Demand for trucks and SUVs has remained strong with tight supplies of vehicles amid a continuing shortage of computer chips.
Much of the transportation gain was offset by losses in other industries. They included machinery (down 2,400), fabricated metal products (down 2,300), and furniture (down 4,000).
The manufacturing economy has been slowing for months. The Institute for Supply Management said June 1 its manufacturing index, known as the PMI, indicated economic contraction for the seventh consecutive month in May. The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates to cool the economy and combat inflation.
Manufacturing totaled 12.984 million jobs in May on a seasonally adjusted basis. That compares with an adjusted 12.896 million in April and 12.789 million in May 2022.
Total non-farm employment rose by 339,000 jobs in May, the bureau said in a statement. That was better than the average forecast of 194,000 by economists surveyed by Reuters. The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 3.7% in May from 3.4% the month before.
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