The U.S. job market just delivered a big surprise, with employers adding 165,000 jobs in October, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Economists had expected only about 65,000, so the result blew past forecasts. The unemployment rate also edged down to 4.1%, and it fell even though hundreds of thousands of people entered the labor force. Professional and business services led the way with about 70,000 new jobs, followed by health care with nearly 42,000, while factories added around 19,000. Revisions to earlier reports also added 84,000 jobs to August and September combined.

The report was not all good news. Hourly wages rose 3.1% from a year earlier, which is still slower than inflation for the seventh straight month, and hotels, restaurants and bars cut about 10,600 jobs. The strong numbers also raised expectations that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates in December, since officials are focused on bringing inflation down. That leaves workers and investors asking whether this is a real turning point for hiring or just a one-month jump after a choppy stretch. The next few reports should show whether the labor market can keep this momentum.