The unemployment rate ticked down to 4.1 percent, according to a jobs report released Thursday by the Labor Department, reflecting the exit of workers from the labor market. The June unemployment rate hovers near a historically low level.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. labor market delivered another upside surprise last month, churning out a surprisingly strong 147,000 jobs. The unemployment rate ticked down unexpectedly, too.

U.S. job growth was unexpectedly solid in June, but nearly half of the increase in nonfarm payrolls came from the government sector, with private industry gains the smallest in eight months as businesses battled rising economic headwinds.