U.S. Economy Added 303,000 Jobs In March; Losses Seen In Entertainment Employment

The U.S. economy added a robust 303,000 jobs in March, well above expectations, as the unemployment rate ticked down to 3.8%.

The latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the pace of job growth still remains hot, despite some predictions of a slowdown. The job growth was higher than the monthly average gain of 231,000 over the previous 12 months, according to the agency. Major jobs gains were in health care, government and construction.

Average hourly earnings increased by 12 cents, or 0.3%, to $34.69. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 4.1%, above the rate of inflation. The past two months of job gains also were revised upward by 22,000.

Despite the robust picture overall, jobs in movies and sound recording fell by 2,600 positions, to 438,400. Jobs in broadcasting and among content providers fell by 2,300, to 341,500. Jobs in publishing increased by 4,500, to 931,500.

Joe Biden has touted the job growth during his presidency, even though polls show him still trailing Republican rival Donald Trump when it comes to handling of the economy. There have been some recent signs, though, that consumer perception of economic conditions has shifted a bit.

More to come.