US Adds 177,000 Jobs in April, Surpassing Expectations by 36%

In April, the United States saw an unexpected surge in new job openings, with 177,000 positions added. This figure significantly exceeded all expectations, indicating a robust labor market despite concerns over potential impacts from tariffs. The data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed a notable increase in employment, far surpassing the median forecast of 138,000 new jobs predicted by analysts. This positive development suggests that the labor market remains resilient, with the impact of tariffs not yet manifesting in the employment data.

The April employment report also highlighted several key adjustments to previous months' data. March's job gains were revised downward from 228,000 to 185,000, marking the third consecutive month of downward revisions. February's job gains were also adjusted downward by 15,000, from 117,000 to 102,000. These revisions collectively reduced the total job gains for February and March by 58,000 compared to previously reported figures. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.2%, with the labor force participation rate increasing slightly to 62.6%, higher than the expected median of 62.5%.

The report also provided insights into wage growth and labor market dynamics. Average hourly earnings increased by 0.2% in April, slightly below the expected 0.3% and the previous month's 0.3% increase. On an annual basis, wage growth was 3.8%, matching the previous month's rate but below the expected 3.9%. The average workweek for all private nonfarm employees remained steady at 34.3 hours, while the manufacturing sector saw a slight decrease of 0.2 hours to 40.0 hours. The number of people working multiple jobs decreased by 76,000 to 8.86 million, indicating a shift towards more stable employment.

Sector-specific data revealed varied employment trends. The healthcare sector added 51,000 jobs, consistent with its average monthly gain of 52,000 over the past year. The transportation and warehousing sector saw an increase of 29,000 jobs, driven by growth in warehousing, courier services, and air transportation. The financial activities sector continued its upward trend, adding 14,000 jobs. The social assistance sector added 8,000 jobs, though at a slower pace than its average monthly gain of 20,000 over the past year. Federal government employment decreased by 9,000, continuing a downward trend that began in January.

The report also highlighted the quality of employment, with full-time jobs increasing by 305,000 and part-time jobs by 56,000. This shift towards full-time employment is a positive indicator of labor market health. Additionally, the report noted a significant difference in employment trends between native-born and foreign-born workers. In April, over 100,000 native-born workers entered the labor market, while 41,000 foreign-born workers exited, suggesting a normalization of employment patterns between these groups.