reading

September's positive reading also comes after a dire result in August, when the data was affected by one-off factors such as annual plant closures for holidays in the crucial auto sector, it said.

The services side of the labor market delivered most of the gains, led by 47,000 positions added to the trade, transportation, and utilities sector, marking the strongest reading since February 2023.

These readings have been taken across the city every half an hour for the past 11 years.

The reading of a survey of businesses such as banks, retailers and restaurants rose to 52.4% in October from 50% in the prior month, the Institute for Supply Management said Wednesday.

The weakness in the employment reading "shows a lack of confidence in the continued strength of the economy," Miller said.