Strong U.S. Job Growth Precedes Trade Uncertainty

The U.S. job market added 228,000 jobs in March ahead of President Donald Trump’s imposed tariffs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Situation for March 2025.

The number of jobs added last month was up from the 130,000 expected by economists, and also up from 117,000 jobs added in February.

In March, the unemployment rate rose to 4.2% and workers’ average hourly earnings increased 0.3% from February. The modest hike in unemployment was due to 232,000 people entering the labor force, though not all found jobs right away.

Although March showed economic strength, uncertainty remains about the effects of President Trump’s upcoming policies, including the recent import taxes announced earlier this week.