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Job creation increased in July with 209,000 new positions created, while the unemployment rate held steady at 4.3 percent, according to Labor Department data released Friday.

Economists surveyed by Reuters expected nonfarm payrolls to grow by 183,000 jobs last month after they soared to 222,000 in June.

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Average hourly earnings edged upward to 4.3 percent while private sector payrolls added 205,000 jobs and the labor force participation rate ticked slightly upward to 62.9 percent.

The largest job gains were seen in the food and drink services, professional and business services, and healthcare sectors. There were also increases in manufacturing and construction employment.

Related: A Graphic Guide to the Monthly Jobs Report

With no significant job losses, the U-6 or so-called "real unemployment" rate was left unchanged at 8.6 percent.

"These are laudable numbers to say the least," Mike Loewengart, VP, Investment Strategy at E*TRADE, told NBC News in an email. "With continued low unemployment and steady growth many were look looking to see that “show me the money” improvement on the wages side. And improvement is what we got." He said that amid solid corporate earnings and strong markets that the latest report increases the pressure on the Federal Reserve to reduce its bond portfolio, which would push up interest rates.

Early this morning before the report President Donald Trump took to Twitter to tout various economic bright spots.

Toyota & Mazda to build a new $1.6B plant here in the U.S.A. and create 4K new American jobs. A great investment in American manufacturing! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 4, 2017

....and don't forget that Foxconn will be spending up to 10 billion dollars on a top of the line plant/plants in Wisconsin. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 4, 2017

Consumer confidence is at a 16 year high....and for good reason. Much more regulation "busting" to come. Working hard on tax cuts & reform! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 4, 2017

And after the jobs report Trump praised the numbers as "excellent" in a tweet. "I have only just begun," he said. "Many job stifling regulations continue to fall. Movement back to USA!"