US employers added a stronger-than-expected 178,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate eased to 4.3%, according to new data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Economists expected a net gain of 60,000 jobs, a rebound after a surprising swing negative in February when 133,000 jobs were lost.
However, a contributor to February’s job losses also boosted March’s gains: 32,000 formerly striking employees at Kaiser Permanente and Starbucks had returned to work by the start of last month
Friday’s jobs report is one of the first major economic data releases since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran. The escalating conflict in the Middle East wasn’t expected to affect March’s employment numbers; however, economists caution that the health of the US labor market and broader economy hinge on the scope and duration of the war.
This story is developing and will be updated.