U.S. Job Growth Surges Past Expectations in April Despite Tariff Uncertainty

The U.S. economy added 177,000 jobs in April 2025 led by Health care and transportation sectors exceeding economists expectations of 130,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This The result surprised wall street as this occurred amid economic uncertainties surrounding President Donald Trump’s on again – off again tariff policies. 

Unemployment rate remained unchanged at its historically low 4.2 percent. The labor force participation rate remained unchanged at 62.6 percent, with employment-population ration also staying flat. Diving further into the report, average hourly earnings increased by 6 cents to $36.06 in April 2025.

Sector specific, healthcare lead the march with 51,000 new positions, while transportation and financial activities followed by 29,000 and 14,000 jobs respectively. The rise in healthcare represents one of the most consistent areas of growth over the past year, largely driven by access to healthcare and aging. Worth noting, social assistance saw an tick higher as well of 8,000 jobs though this figure dipped below its 12-month average.

April’s report marks another month of improved gains; however, it is worth noting that this rise is on the back on growing recession fears. 

Following announcement of the data, stock futures rose with Dow futures up 300 points or 0.7% and S&P 500 futures rising 0.78 percent.