Job creation exceeds expectations: 115,000 new jobs in April
The sectors with the strongest growth were healthcare, transportation and warehousing, and retail trade.
Car manufacturing
Job creation rose more than expected in the country in April, with the unemployment rate holding steady, according to government data Friday reflecting a solidification of recent gains in the labor market.
Job growth has swung between expansion and contraction over the past year, raising concerns about the health of the world's largest economy.
In April, the number of non-farming jobs increased by 115,000, with the unemployment rate at 4.3% unchanged from March, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said.
The fastest-growing sectors were healthcare, transportation and warehousing, and retail trade.
Friday's data beat analysts' expectations, with economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal expecting growth of 55,000 jobs.
The healthcare sector has been a steady driver as the American population ages and more people retire, and has driven job creation in recent months.
In April, the sector added 37,000 jobs, in line with its average monthly gain of 32,000 over the past year, according to the government.
The gains were concentrated mainly in nursing and assisted living facilities.
Transportation and warehousing rose in April, driven mostly by an increase in employment of couriers and delivery drivers, but still the sector remains 105,000 jobs below its February 2025 peak.
Federal government employment declines
Federal government employment fell 11.5%, or 348,000 jobs, from its October 2024 peak.
The United States unemployment rate has remained relatively stable at around 4.3%.
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