The US added 115,000 nonfarm payrolls in April, marking the first back-to-back job gains in nearly a year, suggesting a mending labor market just as Gulf war energy impacts begin to hit the job market.
Job gains in March were revised higher by 7,000 to 185,000 and employment for February was revised lower by 23,000 to 156,000 jobs lost, for a combined 16,000 lower than previously reported, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported. Economists surveyed by Trading Economics forecast median gains of 65,000, about even with average monthly job gains throughout all of 2025.
The jobless rate held steady at 4.3pc.
The data "bolster the case for thinking the labor market is convalescing," Pantheon Macroeconomics said in a note. "But the continued weakness of surveys of hiring intentions and the developing pressure on firms' costs from the surge in energy prices suggests it is too soon to sound the all-clear."
Average hourly earnings rose by an annual 3.6pc in April from 3.4pc the prior month.
"A good part of the slowing in the pace of job growth over the past year reflects a decline in the growth of the labor force, due to lower immigration and labor force participation, though labor demand has clearly softened as well," outgoing Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell told reporters last week.
Federal government jobs fell by 9,000 and were down by 348,000 on the back of President Donald Trump's campaign of government layoffs since reaching a peak in October 2024. Federal workers on furlough during the partial shutdown were counted as employed.
Transportation and warehousing gained 30,000 jobs and retail trade gained 22,000 jobs. Private education and health services gained 46,000 jobs after 91,000 gains the prior month.
Employment in information fell by 13,000, including in telecommunications, motion picture, data processing, web hosting and other artificial intelligence (AI) related industries. Information employment is down by 342,000, or by 11pc, from a November 2022 peak.
Financial activities lost 11,000 jobs. Manufacturing lost 2,000 jobs and is down over the past year. Mining and logging gained 3,000 jobs.
By Bob Willis
