US non-farm payroll employment grew 431k in March, lower than expectation of 488k. Overall job growth averaged 562k per month in Q1, the same as the average monthly gain for 2021. Employment was still down by -1.6m, or -1.0%, from its prepandemic level in February 2020.
Unemployment rate dropped from 3.8% to 3.6%, better than expectation of 3.7%. Labor force participation rate rate little changed at 62.4%.
Average hourly earnings rose 0.4% mom, matched expectations.
