Employers added 263,000 jobs in April, another surprisingly strong month of hiring.
The unemployment rate fell to 3.6%, the lowest level since December 1969.
Indications of strength of the labor market could be found throughout the report. The average hourly wage was up 3.2% compared to a year ago, well above the 1.9% rise in prices, meaning real gains in the paychecks of average workers.
Some of the strongest sectors for hiring included the construction industry, which added 33,000 jobs, and health care, which added 27,000 jobs. Restaurants and bars added 25,000 jobs.
A few sectors lost jobs, including the retail sector battered by store closings and automakers, who have been closing plants in the face of declining sales of some models.
If anything, one of the greatest headwinds for the labor market right now is a lack of workers to fill the job openings that employers have. The unemployment rate fell partly because the size of the labor market contracted slightly during the month.
Another strong report is undoubtedly good news for President Donald Trump, who saw his approval rating for his handling of the economy rise to 56% in the most recent CNN poll, the highest mark of his tenure.
But the strength of the job market stretches back to before he took office. This is the 103rd straight month that the economy has added jobs. And it is the 31st straight month that the unemployment rate has remained below 5%.
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