US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned Tuesday that risks to employment had risen in recent months, noting there had been a sharp slowdown of job creation in the world's leading economy.

"While the unemployment rate remained low through August, payroll gains have slowed sharply, likely in part due to a decline in labor force growth due to lower immigration and labor force participation," he told a conference in Philadelphia.

Economic growth appears to be holding up well, he added.

No official jobs data has been published for September due to the ongoing US government shutdown, but private sector figures point to a marked slowdown in hiring last month.

In mid-September, Fed officials moved to cut interest rates for the first time this year, voting overwhelmingly for a quarter-poi

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