Despite gain of 162,000 jobs, US unemployment rate steady
April 2nd, 2010 - 8:42 pm ICT by IANS
Washington, April 2 (DPA) The US economy added 162,000 jobs in March, the most since the start of a recession more than two years ago, but the unemployment rate held steady at 9.7 percent, the Labour Department said Friday.
The improvement included gains in manufacturing and construction sectors that have been hardest hit by the economic crisis. Temporary government hiring for the 2010 population census also helped push up the figures.
Unemployment numbers were also revised upwards for the first two months of the year by a total of 62,000. Under the revisions, the economy added 14,000 jobs in January and lost 14,000 in February.
The world’s largest economy lost more than 8 million jobs over the course of a deep recession that began in December 2009, and the labour market has continued to sputter even as growth begins to return.
President Barack Obama’s administration is under pressure to do more to reduce the unemployment rate, which at 9.7 percent remains near a quarter-century high.
The March gains were the most in three years, yet came in lower than economists expected. A Bloomberg News survey predicted that 184,000 jobs would be added on.
- Obama sees 'stark turn around' as US loses 125,000 jobs - Jul 02, 2010
- US adds 290,000 jobs, but unemployment rises - May 07, 2010
- US unemployment rises to nine percent - May 07, 2011
- US unemployment unchanged at 10 percent in December - Jan 09, 2010
- U.S. unemployment rate drops to 8.1 percent, lowest in 3 years - May 05, 2012
- US jobless rates edges down - Nov 05, 2011
- US jobless rate down, private sector weak - Jun 04, 2010
- US unemployment rate unchanged at 9.7 percent - Mar 05, 2010
- US economy grew faster than thought in fourth quarter - Mar 01, 2012
- US adds less jobs in a sluggish economy (Lead) - Dec 04, 2010
- New US jobless claims dip below 400,000 - Jul 29, 2011
- US unemployment rate edges down to 8.3 percent - Feb 04, 2012
- 130,000 Italians may lose jobs this year - May 04, 2012
- US lawmakers offer stimulus deal amid jobs pessimism - Feb 12, 2010
- US Jobs report says that unemployment rate drops to 9.1% - Aug 05, 2011
Tags: barack obama, bloomberg news, construction sectors, economic crisis, economists, economy, jobs, labour department, labour market, months of the year, population census, quarter century, recession, revisions, unemployment numbers, unemployment rate