US jobs surge in March despite Iran war

Hiring in the US surged last month, despite the energy shock and uncertainty stemming from the US-Israel war in Iran.

Employers added 178,000 jobs, far more than had expected, helping push down the unemployment rate to 4.3%, the Labor Department said.

Analysts said the gains were likely lifted by the end of strikes in the health care industry which led to steep losses in February. But the figures are still likely to bolster confidence in the resilience of the job market, which has slowed sharply over the last year.

The US central bank has described the economy as being in a delicate balance, with muted job creation but also relatively limited job cuts.