New federal numbers released Friday morning show the U.S. unexpectedly added 178,000 jobs in March, a turnaround after the country lost 133,000 jobs the month before.
Business analyst Jill Schlesinger said the latest report reflects a labor market that is still producing jobs.
“While this report is just reflective of one month, it should make the Federal Reserve feel a little bit more secure in the idea that the economy is not rolling over and the labor market remains good enough to create jobs for many people who want them,” Schlesinger said.
However, Schlesinger noted the report does not account for the conflict in the Middle East, which began after the data was collected.
New data also shows the unemployment rate went down to 4.3%, driven largely by a decline in the number of people participating in the labor force.
The March gains mark a reversal from February, when the U.S. saw a loss of 133,000 jobs.