U.S. Adds 178,000 March Jobs as Unemployment Slips to 4.3% and Labor Force Shrinks
7d
Breaking
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U.S. employers added 178,000 jobs in March and the unemployment rate slipped to 4.3%, but that decline largely reflected roughly 400,000 people leaving the labor force and a dip in the participation rate rather than a clear acceleration in hiring. The gain—which reversed large February losses partly as health‑care workers returned after strikes and was concentrated in health care and construction—masks ongoing weakness (manufacturing has lost jobs in 14 of 16 months, the three‑month average was revised to about 68,000) and modest wage growth (0.2% month, 3.5% year), while economists warn the report may not yet capture Iran‑war energy‑price effects.