WASHINGTON — U.S. employers added 172,000 jobs in May, exceeding economists’ expectations, as the labor market showed resilience amid global tensions, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday.
The unemployment rate held steady at 4.3 percent, according to the government data. Job gains for March and April were revised upward by a combined 93,000, the Labor Department said.
The stronger-than-expected report comes as the Trump administration has highlighted labor market performance as a key economic indicator. Private payrolls added about 120,000 jobs, with notable gains in leisure and hospitality, health care and local government, BLS figures show.
Economists had forecast job growth of roughly 80,000 to 88,000 for the month. The actual figure marked the third consecutive month of positive job gains.
Acting Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling described the results as an overperformance. “The May Jobs Report overperformed on every level, adding 172,000 jobs and marking the third consecutive month of positive payroll growth,” he said in a statement.
The data was released as markets monitored the potential effects of international developments, including tensions involving Iran, on the U.S. economy. Some analysts noted that while headline numbers were strong, underlying measures showed mixed signals, such as longer durations of unemployment for some workers.
Average hourly earnings rose 0.3 percent in May and were up 3.4 percent from a year earlier, in line with recent trends, the BLS reported. Details on wage growth adjusted for inflation remain subject to further analysis.
The report provides fresh information for Federal Reserve officials as they weigh interest rate decisions. White House officials have pointed to the job numbers as evidence of economic strength under the current administration.
Critics, including some economists, have pointed to signs of labor market slack, such as elevated long-term unemployment, and expressed concerns about inflation pressures affecting real wages. The administration has rejected suggestions that the strong hiring could complicate efforts to manage price increases.
The Labor Department releases the employment situation report on the first Friday of each month. Further details on industry breakdowns and regional trends are included in the full report.
Congress and the administration continue to debate fiscal policies that could influence future job growth. No immediate legislative action tied directly to the May figures was announced.
