By the Numbers: March jobs report

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on Friday, issued its jobs report for March. Here are the highlights:

·         Jobs added:  126,000

(Analysts/economists had expected about 245,000)

·         Unemployment rate: 5.5 percent

(Unchanged from February)

·         Average workweek (private payrolls): 34.5 hours

(Down from 34.6 hours in February)

·         Average hourly earnings (private payrolls): $24.86

(Up 7 cents an hour from February)

·         Labor-force participation rate: 62.7 percent

(Down from 62.8 percent in February and 62.9 percent in January)

The BLS also reported that it revised down the previously reported job gains for January from 239,000 to 201,000, and the job gains for February from 295,000 to 264,000. With these statistical revisions, the employment gains in January and February combined were 69,000 less than previously reported, the BLS said.

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