Unemployment rate rises to 5.9% as 850,000 jobs added in June

(WASHINGTON) — U.S. employers added 850,000 jobs to their payrolls last month, the latest figures released Friday by the Labor Department show, exceeding economists’ expectations.

Economists had expected to see more than 700,000 jobs added in June, a jump from the revised 583,000 added in May.

The biggest increases in employment last month occurred in leisure and hospitality, public and private education, professional and business services, retail trade, and other services, according to the Labor Department.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate ticked up slightly from 5.8% in May to 5.9% in June.