US economy added 254,000 jobs in September, Labor Department

The Labor Department reported Friday that 254,000 jobs were added to the U.S. economy in September, exceeding projections.

In addition, the unemployment rate last month dropped slightly, by 0.1%, compared to August and is now at 4.1%, according the department's Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

The Dow Jones consensus forecast for additional non-farm jobs was 150,000, CNBC reports.

The bureau in its September report said: "Employment continued to trend up in food services and drinking places, health care, government, social assistance and construction."