U.S. Employers Added Vigorous 272,000 Jobs In May

President Joe Biden is likely to point to Friday's jobs report as a sign of the economy’s robust health under his administration.

WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s employers added a vigorous 272,000 jobs in May, accelerating from April and a sign that companies are still confident enough in the economy to keep hiring despite persistently high interest rates.

Last month’s strong job growth reflected the durability of America’s consumer-driven economy. With the nation’s households continuing their steady spending, many employers have had to keep hiring to meet their customer demand.

The unemployment rate edged up to a still-low 4%, from 3.9%, ending a 27-month streak of unemployment below 4%, the Labor Department said Friday. That had matched the longest such run since the late 1960s.

President Joe Biden is likely to point to Friday’s jobs report as a sign of the economy’s robust health under his administration. The presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump, has focused his criticism of Biden’s economic policies on the surge in inflation, which polls show still weighs heavily in voters’ assessment of the economy.

Last month’s robust job gain suggests that the economy should keep expanding at a steady pace. A healthy job market typically propels consumer spending, the economy’s principal fuel. Some recent signs of economic weakness have raised concerns that growth was faltering. May’s jobs report could help assuage those worries.