LOS ANGELES TIMES
By Jim Puzzanghera
Job growth slowed sharply in April to a seven-month low, adding to concerns about the health of the U.S. economy after a weak start to the year.
The nation’s public- and private-sector employers added 160,000 net new jobs last month, the Labor Department said Friday. The figure was below analysts’ expectations and well off the 208,000 net new jobs added in March.
Total job growth for February and March was revised down by 19,000. The unemployment rate held steady at 5% in April, near an eight-year low.
According to the Los Angeles Times, “the weak April job growth was triggered by a surprising decline in retail hiring, continued troubles in the mining industry caused by low energy prices, and cutbacks in government payrolls.”
