U.S. hiring slowed down in July, with employers adding just 113,000 new jobs, according to the new figures released by the U.S. Labor Department on Friday. The numbers show the unemployment rate at a five-month high of 4.8 percent and provide fresh evidence that companies are growing cautious amid high energy prices. The report did show wages grew solidly. The latest snapshot added to the evidence from a variety of economic barometers that the economy is slowing and inflation is rising. Those conflicting forces present the Federal Reserve with a dilemma over interest rates when policymakers meet next week. The number of new jobs last month did not match the 124,000 added in June and was the lowest total since May, when payrolls grew by 100,000. The civilian unemployment rate jumped from 4.6 percent in June to 4.8 percent in July, matching the jobless rate in February. The rate had not risen since November. Economists had forecast a gain of about 145,000 jobs and an unemployment rate of 4.6 percent.
