Better than expected.
The unemployment rate fell partly because some unemployed workers stopped looking for work.
http://www.cnbc.com/
Of course, with the "New Austerity" set to kick in, things might not be even this good looking forward.
Payrolls rose by 117,000 workers after a 46,000 increase in June that was more than originally estimated, Labor Department data showed today in Washington. The median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey called for a July gain of 85,000. The jobless rate dropped to 9.1 percent as more Americans left the labor force, while average hourly earnings climbed 0.4 percent.
http://www.bloomberg.com/...
The bright spots in the monthly jobs report included the creation of 154,000 private-sector jobs in July, with employment growth in healthcare, retail and manufacturing, but the government sector continued to shed jobs. May and June’s payroll numbers were revised higher by 56,000.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/...
Manufacturing employment increased by 24,000 in July, more than double the gain from the previous month. Economists had been expecting a bounce as disruptions to production stemming from Japan's earthquake have been easing. Even the battered construction sector showed a gain, with employment rising by 8,000. However, the housing sector remains a drag on the economy.
Meanwhile, government employment continued to fall—by 37,000—for the ninth month in a row. State and local governments, which are struggling to close budget gaps, showed job losses.
http://online.wsj.com/...
Hourly wages climbed 10 cents, or 0.4%, to $23.13. Although earnings have climbed 2.3% over the past 12 months, inflation as measured by the consumer price index has risen even faster. That means workers are falling behind and have less cash to spend after paying for necessities such as food, clothing and shelter.
The number of jobs created in May and June, meanwhile, were revised up by a combined 56,000. The increase in June was revised to 46,000 from 18,000 and the gain in May was raised to 53,000 from 25,000.
http://www.marketwatch.com/...