The economy added 224,000 jobs in June, the Labor Department announced Friday, describing a market that remains resilient nearly a decade into the recovery from the Great Recession.
The unemployment rate stands at 3.7%, a tick up from May, reflecting even higher growth in the number of people joining the labor force.
Government analysts said the jobs surge was driven by gains in professional services, health care, transportation and warehousing.
Hourly wages also rose 6 cents, for an annual increase of 3.1%.
The new 224,000 nonfarm jobs are the best figure since January, and three times the 72,000 recorded in May — a number that had left analysts wondering whether the Trump economy was beginning to cool.
Alfredo Ortiz, president of the Job Creators Network, called the rebound “especially remarkable.”
“The reason is simple: smart pro-growth policies that are giving job creators the confidence they need to grow, expand, and invest,” he said in a statement.
Other pro-business interests also cheered.
The Alliance for American Manufacturing pointed to a 17,000-job increase in the manufacturing sector. Alliance President Scott Paul said the fact that the economy is still going strong even as President Trump tangles with China over tariffs suggests he “still has some room to maneuver” in holding out for a better deal.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, though, said the god jobs news wasn’t enough.
“As the cost of living soars, too many hardworking Americans are being forced to work multiple jobs just to provide for themselves and their families,” she said.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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