U.S. Economy Adds 172,000 Jobs in May, Far Exceeding Expectations

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – The U.S. labor market remained stronger than expected in May, as employers added 172,000 jobs and the unemployment rate held steady at 4.3%, according to new data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The report easily surpassed economists’ expectations of roughly 85,000 new jobs and added to signs that hiring momentum is carrying into the summer despite inflation concerns, global instability, and pressure on the Federal Reserve over interest rates.

“In May, job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality, local government and healthcare. Employment in financial activities declined,” the BLS said.

Leisure and hospitality led the way, adding 70,000 jobs, far above its average monthly gain over the past year. Local government employment, excluding education, rose by 55,000, while healthcare added 35,000 jobs and social assistance increased by 12,000.

Financial activities, however, lost 22,000 jobs in May and is down by 107,000 positions from its recent peak last year. Construction, manufacturing, retail trade, wholesale trade, information, and professional and business services showed little change.

Wage growth remained steady but continued to moderate. Average hourly earnings rose 0.3% for the month and 3.4% from a year earlier, down from 3.6% in April. Average weekly hours were unchanged at 34.3, while the labor force participation rate held at 61.8%.

The BLS also revised previous months higher. March job gains were lifted from 185,000 to 214,000, while April was revised from 115,000 to 179,000, meaning the economy added 93,000 more jobs in March and April than previously reported.

The strong jobs report complicates the Federal Reserve’s path, as a resilient labor market may give policymakers more room to keep interest rates elevated—or even consider additional hikes—while inflation remains above target.

Stocks reacted unevenly after the report, as investors weighed the good news on jobs against the possibility of tighter monetary policy. Treasury yields rose following the release.

President Donald Trump praised the employment numbers but criticized the market reaction, arguing that strong growth should lift stocks, not pressure them. He also reiterated his preference for lower interest rates, while saying Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh would make his own decision.

The report offered a measure of encouragement for American workers and families after a sluggish hiring environment in 2025. Yet with inflation still weighing on household budgets, the central question remains whether job growth can continue while wages keep pace with rising costs.

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