US job creation surges, allaying fears of slowdown 
2019-05-06
The United States had another giant month of job creation in April, confirming the strength of the world’s largest economy as President Donald Trump prepares to fend off challengers in next year’s election.
Government data showed continued vigor in the vast services sector, with unemployment falling to a level not seen since 1969, helping allay fears of a slowdown — although the labor force shrank.
As the second quarter began, employers scooped up workers in construction, health care, computer systems design, administrative support and other service industries, adding a total of 263,000 net new positions for the month, the data showed. That was well above the result economists expected, and worker pay continued to climb, although at a slower pace, according to the closely-watched report from the Labor Department.
The unemployment rate fell one-fifth to 3.6 percent but the decline was in part because the pool of workers shrank and fewer people were looking for jobs, pulling them out of the labor force.
The jobless rate for Hispanics fell to the lowest level on record, as did a broader measure of unemployment that includes discouraged workers.
“This economy is roaring,” Vice President Mike Pence told CNBC shortly after the data was released, attributing the performance squarely to Trump’s economic agenda of tax cuts and slashed regulation.
Average hourly pay also rose by 3.2 percent over April of last year, the ninth consecutive month with annual growth above 3 percent, again outstripping inflation. 
Compared with March, however, the increase in pay was only 0.2 percent, shy of forecasts, but economists said this may have been due to distortions from the Easter holiday. Government hiring also was the strongest in eight months, with 27,000 jobs created, likely due in part to hiring for the 2020 US census. Financial services also continued to add employees.
But hiring in the manufacturing sector was a weak spot for the third straight month, ending last year’s long growth streak. Durable goods employment was flat and the auto sector continuing to shed jobs.
In the 12 months prior to February, the manufacturing sector had added an average of 22,000 jobs a month, according to the report. The retail sector also suffered yet more job losses, with 12,000 positions cut.
Hiring in mining, as well as utilities, was little changed.
