The US jobless rate crept up in September although hiring exceeded analyst expectations, according to a delayed employment report published Thursday after a record-long government shutdown.

The figures, marking the last official jobs report before the Federal Reserve's next policy meeting, paint a mixed picture of a softening -- but not rapidly crumbling -- labor market.

This could deepen a divide in the central bank on whether a third straight interest rate cut is warranted in December, with some officials already pushing for lower rates to boost the economy and others likely arguing that policymakers can wait a little longer.

The world's biggest economy added 119,000 jobs in September -- a robust uptick from August -- but the unemployment rate edged up from 4.3 percent to 4.4 percent,

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