This Week In The Economy: Strong US March Jobs Report, Powell Says Fed Has Wiggle Room To Maintain Cautious Approach To First Rate Hike

Welcome to a regular snapshot review of U.S. and international economic news that aims to 1) provide a window into the challenges and decisions facing businesses today, 2) determine the direction of economic policy — such as the speed at which central banks decide to raise interest rates, and 3) assess what the impact will be for consumers.

March Sees Stronger Than Expected Job Gains In The U.S.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported this week that non-farm employment rose by 303,000 in March, while the unemployment remained at 3.8%.

The change in employment for January was revised up by 27,000, from
+229,000 to +256,000, and the change for February was revised down by 5,000, from +275,000 to +270,000. With these revisions, employment in January and February combined is 22,000 higher than previously reported.