Employment numbers for June and May were also revised downward by a total of 103,000 jobs, indicating a wider slowdown than previously reported. And while the unemployment rate fell, it did so due to a drop in the labor participation rate — driven by a perception that there are not many opportunities available right now, economists said. The prime-age labor force participation rate rose after a stark decline in June, however, an “encouraging” sign, Andrew Flowers, chief economist at Appcast, said in a statement. But headwinds, including inflation and high energy costs, may continue to compress the labor market, Cory Stahle, senior economist for the Indeed Hiring Lab, said in a statement. “Don’t put too much stock in a single report, but don’t ignore the fact that the plane is starting to shake as the labor market looks to be entering a rough patch,” Stahle said.