The US unemployment rate jumped to 9.7 percent in August, as employers slashed an additional 216,000 jobs, the Bureau of Labour Statistics reported Friday.

While employers cut fewer jobs in August than in July - when 276,000 jobs were lost - the unemployment rate soared to a 26-year high.

The rate is up from 9.4 percent in July. The number of unemployed people increased by 466,000 to 14.9 million, the government said.

The number of unemployed has soared by 7.4 million since the US recession began in December 2007 and the unemployment rate has grown by 4.8 percentage points.

The bureau noted that although many of the major industry sectors shed jobs in August, the declines have moderated in recent months.

The greatest impact was felt in the construction sector, which shed 65,000 jobs in August. The construction industry has contracted by 1.4 million jobs since the start of the recession.

At least 63,000 jobs were cut in the manufacturing sector in August, while the financial sector lost 28,000 jobs.

The unemployment rate had changed little in June and July, after increasing 0.4 or 0.5 percentage point each month from December 2008 through May.

The figures do not include those working on farms.

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