Hiring Defied Expectations in April, With 115,000 New Jobs

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The U.S. added 115,000 jobs in April, the Labor Department said Friday, far exceeding expectations.

That compared with a net gain of 185,000 in March. It was better than the 55,000 jobs that analysts polled by The Wall Street Journal had expected to see for April.

The unemployment rate stayed unchanged at 4.3%, as economists had expected.

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Companies grappling with changes in everything from trade to immigration and tax policy have for the most part held off on large-scale hiring. Some businesses are citing artificial intelligence when slashing workers; others say that AI is simply making their employees more productive.

At the same time, businesses appear to be taking the mix of crosscurrents in stride. Solid consumer demand has meant that low hiring is often accompanied by relatively low layoffs—despite news of big job cuts at high-profile companies. Data earlier this week from the Labor Department and human-resources firm ADP showed that the job market is firming up.

Strong hiring in the healthcare and social-assistance sector has also helped support the headline jobs number. And U.S. stocks are trading at or near records, boosting CEOs’ confidence.

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