US Payrolls Rise After October Drop, Unemployment Marches Higher

US job growth remained sluggish in November and the unemployment rate rose to a four-year high, pointing to a continued cooling in the labor market after a weak October.

Nonfarm payrolls increased 64,000 in November after declining 105,000 in October, adding to the choppiness seen in the labor market in recent months. The unemployment rate rose to 4.6%, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data out Tuesday, continuing its upward climb as many out-of-work Americans struggled to land new jobs.

The decline in October payrolls, which was the largest since the end of 2020, was due to a 162,000 plunge ...