U.S. Nonfarm Payroll Employment Rises by 115,000 in April; Unemployment Rate Holds at 4.3%

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that total nonfarm payroll employment edged up by 115,000 in April, while the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.3 percent. Job gains were observed in health care, transportation and warehousing, and retail trade, although federal government employment continued to decline. The household survey showed 7.4 million unemployed people, with 1.8 million being long-term unemployed (jobless for 27 weeks or more).