The State Of American Jobs In 25 Charts

Steven Perlberg
American flagREUTERS/Mike Blake

The December jobs report was a colossal disappointment, with the U.S. labour market adding 74,000 workers to nonfarm payrolls, well below the consensus estimate of 197,000.

But some sectors suffered more than others.

Every month, the Bureau of Labour Statistics breaks out the report in a series of sector-by-sector charts.

At 55,000 jobs, retail trade added the most to payrolls in December, bolstered by job growth in automobile, food and beverage stores, general merchandise stories, and clothing stores.

Other sectors, like construction and information, showed a loss.

Total nonfarm underwhelmed

Retail trade was ahead of the pack

Logging lost 2,000 jobs and mining edged up by 5,000

Construction looked promising after the ADP jobs report, but the official BLS numbers had it losing 16,000 jobs

Manufacturing added 77,000 jobs in 2013 in total, compared to 154,000 in 2012

Here's a breakdown in durable goods employment

And in nondurable goods, where food manufacturing was on top

Motor vehicles and parts added 40,000 jobs in 2013

Wholesale trade added 95,000 jobs in 2013

In 2013, retail trade added 381,000 jobs

Generally strong auto sales helped bolster motor vehicle employment this year

Clothing employment grew 12,000 jobs in December

Employment in transportation fell in December after a big November

Here's a transportation breakdown

Couriers and messengers fell 6,000

Utilities has shed 4,000 jobs since June 2013

Information shed 12,000 jobs in December

Financial activities employment has grown by 84,000 in the past year

Professional and business services added 637,000 jobs in 2013

Accounting and bookkeeping services took a hit, mostly in tax preparation services

Temporary help added 248,000 jobs in 2013

It was the weakest over-the-month change for education and health services since September 2010

Here's a breakdown of the health care industry

As you might expect, leisure and hospitality has been on an upward trend since the end of the recession

Federal, state, and local government employment remained flat in December

Some more on the U.S. economy...

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