U.S. economy adds 215,000 jobs in March

Though total nonfarm payroll employment jumped by 215,000 in March, the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.9% to 5.0%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The total number of unemployed persons was little changed at 8.0 million, having hovered close to that number since August.

Though the number of long-term unemployed (2.2 million), the labor force participation rate (63.0%), the employment-population ratio (59.9%), and the number of persons employed part-time for economic reasons (6.1 million) were all little changed, the labor force participation rate and employment-population ratio have increased 0.6% since September.

Additionally, the 1.7 million people who are marginally attached to the labor force are down by 335,000 for the year, and the 585,000 discouraged workers were also down by 153,000 for the year.

Retail trade, construction and health care experienced the most significant jobs increases, jumping by 48,000, 37,000, and 37,000, respectively.

Within the retail trade industry, general merchandise stores got the biggest boost (12,000), but building material and garden supply stores were in a close third with a jobs gain of 10,000.

Within the construction industry, residential specialty trade contractors added 12,000 jobs.

Manufacturing and mining both lost jobs, down by 29,000 and 12,000 jobs, respectively.