U.S. Employers Added 288,000 Jobs in April

Today the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that employers added 288,000 jobs to U.S. payrolls in April. That's well above the average monthly gain of 190,000 over the past year. The BLS said that employment gains were widespread, led by job growth in professional and business services, retail trade, and construction. 

The BLS also revised its original estimates from February (up from 197,000 jobs to 222,000) and March (an increase from 192,000 to 203,000).

The unemployment rate fell to 6.3 percent in April. The labor force declined by 806,000 in April, after a gain of 503,000 in March. Labor force participation has not shown a clear trend in recent months.

More details can be found in the full employment situation release.