March jobs report blows past expectations
WASHINGTON - Employers added 178,000 jobs in March, notching a robust gain for a vulnerable labor market that faces challenges ahead as energy prices soar due to the conflict in Iran. The unemployment rate edged down to 4.3 percent, according to data released Friday by the Labor Department. The March jobs report, which blew past expectations, was boosted by the return of workers from West Coast health-care strikes and stormy winter weather. It also showed signs that employers had begun to regain confidence in stable business conditions following the volatile policy swings of the first year of the second Trump administration. February job losses were revised down, showing the labor market shed 133,000 positions that month, which was worse than initially reported. However, January job creation was revised up to 160,000, stronger than initially reported. Average monthly job creation over the past year is around 20,000 jobs, the lowest level in years. “We are on a bit of a roller coaster with job market data,” said…
3 Apr 00:00 · Inlandnewstoday