The Unemployment Rate was unchanged at 9.6% in September, against expectations of an increase to 9.7%, after increasing to 9.6% in August. The number of unemployed persons decreased marginally to 14.8 million after increasing to 14.9 million in August. Nonfarm Payrolls, which were expected to decrease by 3,000, decreased by 95,000 in September, after decreasing by 57,000 in August. Private sector employment edged up by 64,000, lower than the 93,000 jobs added in August, revised upwards from an originally reported 67,000.Healthcare, professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and mining added jobs, while wholesale trade, retail trade, transportation and warehousing, information, and financial activities showed little change. Manufacturing employment decreased by 6,000 after declining 28,000 a month earlier. Employment in construction decreased over the month, partly offsetting an employment gain in August.  Government employment fell by 159,000 in September, largely reflecting the loss of 77,000 temporary workers hired for Census 2010.The Average Workweek remained unchanged at 34.2 hours. Average Hourly Earnings increased by 1 cent to $22.67.
 
Wholesale Inventories are expected today at 10:00 AM EST. Wholesale Inventories had increased by 1.3% in July to the $405.0 billion level and were up by 2.5% from a year ago. Wholesale Sales had increased by 0.6% in July to $350.1 billion and were up 12.7% over the year. Sales of durable goods were up 0.5% and sales of nondurable goods were up 0.6% over the month. The Inventory/Sales ratio was at 1.16, lower than the 1.27 ratio in July of 2009.
 
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