AFP, Washington :
The US unemployment rate fell in March to 4.5 percent, its lowest level in nearly 10 years, but job creation tumbled unexpectedly, underscoring the challenges President Donald Trump faces to fulfill his 25-million-job pledge.
After months of pumping out new jobs at a steady clip, the world’s largest economy added only 98,000 net new positions last month, the Labor Department reported Friday-a figure far below analyst expectations.
Central bank policymakers have been split over the amount of slack in labor markets and the dangers of inflation.
The March data could support the views of some Federal Reserve members who say the United States is at or near full employment.
Adult women, whites and Hispanics saw employment gains while other major worker groups saw little change. Growth in hourly wages slowed for the month but continued to rise, adding five cents, or 0.2 percent.
The monthly job creation figure was nevertheless the weakest since May 2016 and blunted the surging numbers seen in January and February, when unseasonably warm weather helped push job creation well above the 200,000 mark.
Rob Martin of Barclays called the March result “a weak report with no silver linings in the details.”
The US unemployment rate fell in March to 4.5 percent, its lowest level in nearly 10 years, but job creation tumbled unexpectedly, underscoring the challenges President Donald Trump faces to fulfill his 25-million-job pledge.
After months of pumping out new jobs at a steady clip, the world’s largest economy added only 98,000 net new positions last month, the Labor Department reported Friday-a figure far below analyst expectations.
Central bank policymakers have been split over the amount of slack in labor markets and the dangers of inflation.
The March data could support the views of some Federal Reserve members who say the United States is at or near full employment.
Adult women, whites and Hispanics saw employment gains while other major worker groups saw little change. Growth in hourly wages slowed for the month but continued to rise, adding five cents, or 0.2 percent.
The monthly job creation figure was nevertheless the weakest since May 2016 and blunted the surging numbers seen in January and February, when unseasonably warm weather helped push job creation well above the 200,000 mark.
Rob Martin of Barclays called the March result “a weak report with no silver linings in the details.”
