U.S. economy adds 139,000 jobs in May
The U.S. economy added 139,000 jobs in May, while the unemployment rate held at 4.2%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Friday.
Why it matters: The labor market's headline numbers were healthy as President Trump's volatile trade war played out last month.
Forecasters anticipated the economy would add 125,000 jobs in May.
The government said that employment was revised down for March and April by a combined 95,000 lower than initially estimated.
Details: Federal employment continued to decline last month, with another 22,000 jobs shed — a sign that DOGE layoffs are weighing on the economy.
The sector has lost nearly 60,000 jobs since January.
The big picture: Trade tensions whipsawed last month, as tariffs on Chinese imports were 145% in the first half of May before the Trump administration announced a trade truce that brought levies down to 30% for 90 days.
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