HUFFINGTON POST / AP: U.S. employers added 217,000 jobs in May, a substantial gain for a fourth straight month, fueling hopes that the economy will accelerate after a grim start to the year.
Monthly job growth has now averaged 234,000 for the past three months, up sharply from 150,000 in the previous three. The unemployment rate, which is calculated from a separate survey, remained 6.3 percent in May.
The report Friday from the Labor Department signaled that the U.S. economy is steadily strengthening and outpacing struggling countries in Europe and Asia. Consumers are showing more confidence. Auto sales have surged. Manufacturers are expanding solidly. U.S. service companies are growing more quickly… (more)
