The U.S. labour market demonstrated resilience in March 2025, adding 228,000 jobs, significantly exceeding analysts' projections of 130,000. This robust job growth marks an increase from February's addition of 117,000 positions, indicating continued strength in employment despite prevailing economic uncertainties.
However, the unemployment rate edged up slightly to 4.2% from the previous month's 4.1%. Economists attribute this rise to an increased number of individuals re-entering the labour force, reflecting renewed optimism about job prospects. Notably, the job gains were broad-based, with significant contributions from the healthcare, construction, and professional services sectors.
Despite the positive employment figures, concerns loom over the potential impact of recent trade policies, including tariffs and escalating trade tensions with key partners. Analysts caution that these factors could introduce volatility in the job market in the coming months, emphasizing the need for close monitoring of economic indicators and policy developments.