Payroll employment by industry, October 2006

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 92,000 in October. This followed job gains of 148,000 in September and 230,000 in August (as revised).

[Chart data—TXT]

Over the month, employment rose in professional and business services, health care, food services, and mining; manufacturing and construction lost jobs.

Professional and business services employment grew by 43,000 in October, with gains in management and technical consulting services and in business support services.

Health care employment continued to grow with a gain of 23,000 in October. Job growth occurred in nursing and residential care facilities and in hospitals.

In leisure and hospitality, food services and drinking places continued to add jobs in October.

In the goods-producing sector, mining employment grew by 5,000 in October. Over the last 12 months, mining has added 54,000 jobs.

Construction lost 26,000 jobs in October, as employment declines in residential specialty trade contractors more than offset gains in nonresidential specialty trades.

Manufacturing lost 39,000 jobs in October. Plastics and rubber products lost 14,000 jobs, largely reflecting strike activity in rubber products manufacturing. Employment also declined in motor vehicles and parts and in wood products.

These data are from the BLS Current Employment Statistics program, and are seasonally adjusted. Data for the most recent two months are preliminary. More information can be found in "The Employment Situation: October 2006," news release USDL 06-1903.