The US Labor Department has reported that only 142,000 jobs were created in August, compared with analysts’ predictions of 200,000. Furthermore, no jobs at all were added in the manufacturing sector, according to official figures.

Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, said: “This jobs report is a big disappointment. While we can never read too much into just a month’s worth of data, a ‘goose egg’ for manufacturing doesn’t look like progress to me.

“It is going to be hard to consistently increase the number of manufacturing job unless our goods trade deficit with China comes down.” However, analysts pointed out that August data is frequently volatile and out of line with trends.