Another disappointment: US economy adds only 194,000 jobs in September

America's economic recovery has hit a roadblock: US employers added only 194,000 jobs in September, another troubling sign that Covid is disrupting the economy.

It marked the second-straight month in which the US economy added far fewer jobs than expected. Jobs growth slowed down dramatically in August.

The unemployment rate declined to 4.8% in September, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday, down from 5.2% in August.

But, if you're an optimist, there is reason to be hopeful about the future: The surveys behind the jobs report were completed around the middle of September when Covid infections began to plateau. They have been on a steady decline since mid-September, a reason to be optimistic about job growth in October.

And the report had some good news: The disappointing August report was revised higher by 131,000 jobs, which means employers added 366,000 the month before last. (Even so, the August report remained far below analysts' initial expectations.)