Job growth in August fell short of expectations, raising speculation that the Federal Reserve may delay scaling back a stimulus program that has helped keep interest rates low.
Recent comments from Fed officials regarding the bond-buying program have caused interest rates to spike over the last few months, fueling concerns that tapering the program could hinder the housing recovery.
Nonfarm payrolls increased 169,000 last month, falling short of the 180,000 gain economists polled by Reuters had predicted.
Amid the less-than-steller job growth, the unemployment rate fell to a 4 1/2-year low, largely because more Americans gave up looking for jobs, according to Reuters.