Nonfarm payrolls were up 215,000 in March, according to today's data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, mostly in line with economists' average expectations. The construction sector added 37,000 jobs, while the unemployment rate rose to 5% from 4.9%. The labor participation rate increased to 63%. January and February numbers were revised down for a net loss of 1,000 jobs.
Construction payroll growth accelerated in March, while manufacturing employment slumped by the most since December 2009. Other industries adding jobs included retail, health care, leisure and hospitality and professional services. Government hiring was the strongest since August.