144,000 get jobs in August

US employers added 144,000 workers to payrolls in August, the most since May and the first acceleration in five months, suggesting the economy is emerging from a mid-year lull. The unemployment rate fell to 5.4%, the lowest since October 2001.

The increase follows a revised gain of 73,000 in July that was more than twice the number estimated last month. Manufacturing employment rose by 22,000 and the jobless rate declined from 5.5% in July.