US job growth accelerates to fastest pace in 15 months in March

Column chart titled 'Monthly change in US jobs'

Jobless claims increase 178,000 in March Unemployment rate drops to 4.3% from 4.4% amid drop in participation rate The average work week shortens to 34.2 hours from 34.3 hours WASHINGTON, April 3 (Reuters) – U.S. job growth picked up sharply in March as a health care workers’ strike ended and temperatures rose, but labor market … Read more

US job growth is likely to pick up in March, as war casts a shadow over the labor market

US job growth is likely to pick up in March, as war casts a shadow over the labor market

Nonfarm payrolls are forecast to increase 60,000 in March Economists say it will take time for the oil price hike to affect the labor market The unemployment rate is expected to remain steady at 4.4% WASHINGTON, April 3 (Reuters) – U.S. job growth may have picked up in March as a health workers’ strike ended … Read more

Iran war exposes weakness of US ‘no-hire’ economy

chart

ORLANDO, Florida, April 2 (Reuters) – US job growth is slowing to a halt. If this was tolerable to policymakers or acceptable to investors before the Iran war, it should not be now. The labor market has been struggling for some time, but this has been overshadowed by the unemployment rate, which has come down, … Read more

The US labor market remains stable; trade deficit increases in February

Trade balance

Weekly jobless claims fall 9,000 to 202,000 Continuing claims add 25,000 to 1.841 million The trade deficit widened by 4.9% to $57.3 billion in February WASHINGTON, April 2 (Reuters) – New claims for U.S. jobless benefits fell sharply last week to a record low, suggesting labor market conditions remained calm in March, even as economists … Read more

Trump says the US has too much jet fuel for Europe, the market disagrees

Two lines showing monthly US jet production and demand.

US jet fuel supplies are well short of the Hormuz supply gap The US is a major consumer of jet fuel and often requires imports Higher imports could raise US jet fuel prices NEW YORK, April 1 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump this week told countries that are struggling to get jet fuel because of … Read more

US retail sales strong in February; an increase in the price of petrol will affect spending

Column chart titled 'Monthly change in US retail sales'

Retail sales increased by 0.6% in February Basic sales earn 0.5%; a large tax refund guarantees spending Production increases in March, but the supply chain continues to deteriorate WASHINGTON, April 1 (Reuters) – U.S. retail prices rose by the most in seven months in February as car prices rose and temperatures soared, but rising gasoline … Read more