The latest jobs report showed more people out of work. Here's why that matters.

Originally reported as: “Unemployment rate ticks up to 4.5% as payroll growth misses expectations”

The government's monthly jobs report showed the unemployment rate rising and fewer new jobs being created than economists had expected. Reports like this are one of the clearest snapshots of how the overall economy is doing, since a healthy job market usually means people have money to spend. A weaker report can hint that the economy is slowing down. Policymakers watch this data closely because it can influence decisions about interest rates and government spending.