The labor force participation rate among women ages 25 to 54, their prime working years, dipped to 78.1% September, from 78.4% in August. But that number is still hovering at record levels, and it’s been climbing steadily to new heights through 2024.

Stronger-than-expected job growth could reaffirm the market’s expectation the Fed will slow its future rate cuts to a quarter-point each, following a half-point reduction at its September meeting. Softer growth could do the opposite,

The U.S. labor market grew at a faster rate than expected in September with notable gains in the food and beverage sector as well as health care, although manufacturing shed jobs.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.9% and got close to its all-time high set on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 341 points, or 0.8%, to set its own record, while the Nasdaq composite

The Dow posted a record closing high on Friday and the Nasdaq ended with a more than 1% gain as a stronger-than-expected jobs report reassured investors who had worried the economy may be getting too weak.