U.S. unemployment climbs to 5.5% in May

The May rate was 5.5 percent, compared to 5 percent in April and 4.5 percent in May 2007. Unemployed people totaled 8.5 million for the month, after seasonal adjustment, up by 861,000.

Average hourly earnings rose 5 cents, or 0.3 percent, for the month to $17.94, following gains of 6 cents in March and 2 cents in April. Average weekly earnings in May were $604.58, up 3.2 percent from a year ago.

Retail trade employment fell by 27,000 jobs, mostly in department stores and some in gas stations. Professional and business services jobs were down by 39,000, construction employment lost 34,000 jobs, and manufacturing fell by 26,000 jobs for the month.

Health care, meanwhile, gained 34,000 jobs in May, and growth in that sector during the last year has totaled 383,000 jobs.