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BALTIMORE — U.S. businesses added a mere 125,000 jobs in October, a slowdown in hiring driven in part by job cuts in manufacturing and construction.

The economy has added millions of jobs and pay gains have accelerated in recent years, but Americans aren’t crazy about their work.

U.S. hiring missed projections in September and wage gains cooled, offering a warning that the record-long expansion is poised for further slowing even as the jobless rate fell to a half-century low.

The last time U.S. payroll forecasts were this low, hurricanes had slammed the country in 2017, temporarily closing businesses. Or go back to 2013 when there was a federal government shutdown.

Companies’ hiring stumbled in August, likely cementing expectations for a second straight Federal Reserve interest-rate cut as trade uncertainty and softer global growth weigh on the outlook.

U.S. companies added the most jobs in four months in August while jobless claims stayed low last week, reports showed Sept. 5, suggesting the labor market remains healthy despite a slowdown in manufacturing and global weakness.

Employment costs rose less than estimated in the second quarter as worker pay raises held steady while benefit gains decelerated, suggesting inflation pressures remain muted.

Job openings unexpectedly cooled in May for a second month, signaling a pause in demand for workers ahead of a surge in June payrolls growth that indicates a still-robust American labor market.

WASHINGTON — U.S. employers sharply stepped up their hiring in June, adding a robust 224,000 jobs, an indication of the economy’s durability after more than a decade of expansion.

The U.S. labor market is showing further signs of a slowdown, according to new data from Glassdoor. Job openings in the U.S. increased just 1.4% from the same period last year, according to the employment site’s June 2019 Job Market Report.