Employers hired far more workers than expected in September, defying a sharp slowdown over the summer that appeared to cool off the labor market. The U.S. added 119,000 jobs in September, according to data from the U.

Follow MarketWatch's live coverage of the jobs report for September and weekly jobless claims delayed by the longest U.S. government shutdown in history.

Among industry sectors, health care added 43,000 jobs, in line with recent monthly gains. Employment in restaurants and bars increased by 37,000, while transportation and warehousing fell by 25,000, possibly reflecting uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s import tariffs.

September jobs report surprises with 119,000 new positions added, more than double economists' forecasts, as government shutdown delayed crucial economic data release.

The September job report doesn’t settle the debate over whether the Fed should cut rates in December, according to Roger Ferguson, the former Fed vice chair. “Anyone can look at this and find what they want,

The September jobs report, delayed due to the government shutdown, showed the food services sector added more than 36,000 jobs for the month, more than any sector besides health care.

Stocks rallied in early trading on Thursday, just hours after blockbuster earnings from chip giant Nvidia and a stronger-than-expected jobs report. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped nearly 600 points, or 1.2%, while the S & P 500 climbed 1.8%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq soared 2.5%.

September jobs report reveals U.S. labor market losing steam with employment figures revised down by 33,000 for July and August, signaling economic concerns.