OTTAWA - The Canadian labour market showed an unexpected hiring surge in September, but economists are mixed on whether the strength is enough to deter the Bank of Canada from cutting its policy rate again later this month.

Statistics Canada said the unemployment rate held steady at 7.1 per cent in September as the economy added some 60,000 jobs in the month.

That topped economists' expectations for a gain of 5,000 jobs in September and marks a rebound from losses of more than 100,000 positions over the previous two months.

StatCan said the gains were concentrated in full-time work with 106,000 positions added in September, more than offsetting a drop in part-time work.

RBC assistant chief economist Nathan Janzen said there were signs of "stabilization" in the September labour force su

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