US jobs report will offer clues to state of a shaky economy

WASHINGTON (AP) — With signs of a weakening economy spreading and financial markets gyrating, Friday’s monthly jobs report will be watched for any evidence that the turmoil might be threatening the critically important U.S. job market.

Economists have forecast that the government will report that employers added a modest 145,000 jobs in September and that the unemployment rate remained near a five-decade low of 3.7% for a fourth straight month.

A job gain of that level would top August’s increase of 130,000 and, if sustained, would likely be just enough to absorb new job seekers. But it would still be noticeably lower than last year’s average monthly job growth of 225,000.

With the U.S. economic expansion in its 11th year and unemployment low, many businesses have struggled to find the workers they need.