via BBC News
US employment rose in April for the seventh month in a row, official figures have shown, but the overall unemployment rate has also risen.
According to the US Labor Department, the number of new jobs created in April rose by 244,000, more than expected.
However, the unemployment rate rose too, to 9%, from 8.8%. The employment and unemployment figures are collected using different methods.
The number of US citizens out of work is 13.7 million.
US President Barack Obama welcomed the jobs data.
“There will undoubtedly be more challenges ahead.”
“The fact is, we are still making progress. That proves how resilient the American economy is, how resilient the American worker is,” Mr Obama said in a visit to a factory in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Although the increase in the number of people in work was better than had been expected, it is a fraction of the 8 million US workers who lost their jobs in the downturn following the 2008 financial crisis.
Higher commodity and food prices curbed US economic growth in the first quarter.
But although inflation is higher than the authorities would like, Friday’s employment data showed little in the way of pressure from wage inflation. Average hourly earnings rose just 3 cents, or 0.1%, to $22.95.
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Article courtesy bbc.co.uk
