During May, the United States economy generated 139,000 new jobs in the non-agricultural sector, exceeding market expectations, which estimated an increase of 130,000 jobs.

The new federal data Data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) also noted that the unemployment rate remained unchanged for the third consecutive month at 4.2%, suggesting stability in the labor market despite economic pressures such as tariffs.

Nonfarm job growth, while more moderate compared to previous months, indicates that the labor market remains resilient. In April, for example, 177,000 new jobs were initially reported, but that figure was revised down to 147,000.

According to analysis by financial firm FactSet, average monthly job growth over the past 12 months has been 156,800 positions. Although May fell slightly short of that average, it still signaled that employment is holding steady.

Sectors with the biggest gains included healthcare, with 62,000 new hires, and leisure and hospitality, which added 48,000 positions, especially in food and beverage services.

Meanwhile, federal government employment continued to decline, losing 22,000 jobs in May and a total of 59,000 since January.

Some analysts warn that the current stability may not hold. Jobless claims rose to their highest level in eight months, according to recent data from the Labor Department. The sharpest increases were in Kentucky, the District of Columbia, and Nebraska.

Ger Doyle, regional president of ManpowerGroup, told CBS News that the data reflects “a steady but cautious labor market amid uncertainty.” This caution is related, in part,with the effects of tariffs, which have led to hiring adjustments and cutbacks in some industries.

The Federal Reserve, which will meet on June 17-18, has kept interest rates unchanged so far this year. Despite political pressure for a rate cut, led by President Donald Trump, current data does not appear to justify an immediate change in monetary policy.

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