Total US non-farm payroll employment increased by 206,000 in June, and the unemployment rate changed little at 4.1 per cent, according to the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS).

The number of unemployed people changed little in June at 6.8 million.

These measures are higher than a year earlier, when the jobless rate was 3.6 per cent and the number of unemployed people was 6 million.

Retail trade employment changed little in June (minus 9,000), after trending up earlier in the year.

Furniture, home furnishings, electronics and appliance retailers lost 6,000 jobs over the month, while warehouse clubs, super centres and other general merchandise retailers gained 5,000 jobs.

Employment in professional and business services changed little in June (minus 17,000) and has shown little change over the year.

Employment showed little change over the month in manufacturing, wholesale trade; transportation and warehousing, a BLS release said.

The unemployment rates for adult women (3.7 per cent) and Asians (4.1 per cent) increased in June. The jobless rates for adult men (3.8 per cent), teenagers (12.1 per cent), Whites (3.5 per cent), Blacks (6.3 per cent), and Hispanics (4.9 per cent) showed little or no change over the month.

The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) rose by 166,000 to 1.5 million in June—up from 1.1 million a year earlier. The long-term unemployed accounted for 22.2 per cent of all unemployed people in the month.

The labour force participation rate changed little at 62.6 per cent in June, and the employment-population ratio held at 60.1 per cent. These measures showed little or no change over the year.

Government employment rose by 70,000 in June, higher than the average monthly gain of 49,000 over the prior 12 months.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)