Figures released Friday by the U.S. government showed that the economy south of the border added a better-than-expected 222,000 new jobs in June. The U.S. Labor Department also reported that the unemployment rate held at 4.4%.
Economists had been expecting non-farm payrolls growth of 179,000 and the unemployment rate to be reduced to 4.3%
Wage growth, however, remained muted, with average hourly earnings rising 2.5% on an annualized basis, essentially unchanged from the previous month. On a monthly basis, the rise was 0.2 percent, which actually was a shade below the 0.2 percent expectation. The average work week edged higher, rising 0.1 hours to 34.5.
The jump in payrolls came following a disappointing May that saw an increase of just 152,000. However, even that number was revised up from an initially reported 138,000, and April was revised upward as well, from 174,000 to 207,000.
Employment gains stateside have averaged 180,000 per month in 2017, a shade below the 187,000 in 2016.
