U.S. Employment Growth Surpasses Expectations in May
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a significant increase in non-farm jobs for May, with 172,000 new positions added. This growth was primarily driven by the leisure and hospitality sectors, local government, and healthcare. The unemployment rate remained steady at 4.3%, aligning with forecasts. Average hourly earnings saw a modest increase, contributing to a year-over-year rise of 3.4%. Despite these gains, the financial activities sector experienced a decline, losing 22,000 jobs. The report also noted revisions to previous months' data, with April's job numbers adjusted upward.