Employers unexpectedly cut 23,000 jobs in a sign of a wilting labor market

U.S. employers cut 23,000 jobs in July, and job gains for the two previous months were weaker than initially reported, according to a report Friday from the Labor Department.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6000x3850+0+0/resize/6000x3850!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F9a%2F17%2Fb623e2ae44d0811d8a3fde2b7ca0%2Fgettyimages-2273896204-1.jpg' alt='The U.S. labor market softened in July as employers cut 23,000 jobs. Construction companies and factories continued to add workers, but retailers and restaurants shed jobs.'/><p>U.S. employers cut 23,000 jobs in July, and job gains for the two previous months were weaker than initially reported, according to a report Friday from the Labor Department. </p><p>(Image credit: Joe Raedle)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5924786' />