US mining industry added 600 jobs in March for a fourth-straight month of gains

Employment in the US mining industry, excluding oil and gas extraction, increased in March for a fourth-straight month, the Labor Department reported Friday.

The number of jobs in the sector rose by 600 from last month for a total of 196,100, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. And since March 2018, the sector has added more than 11,000 jobs.

Coal mining jobs rose by 100 to 52,700, but metal ore mining was unchanged at 41,100 jobs. Nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying increased by 500 jobs to 102,300. Support activities payrolls, however, decreased by 200 to 361,200.

The oil and gas extraction sector saw a boost of 700 positions to 152,600.

US jobs reports shows big rebound in March payrolls following a dismal February

Non-farm payroll employment increased by 196,000 in March, compared with a consensus estimate of 170,000.

The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.8%. The government noted jobs gains in health care, professional and technical services.

The March job numbers mark a big rebound from last month when payrolls increased by a paltry 20,000 even though the unemployment rate fell — the worst month for job creation since September 2017.

The consensus estimate called for 180,000 new jobs in February on the heels of 311,000 job gains in January.

Following the jobs report, the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 29.45 points, or 0.11%, to 26,414.  

– Updates with mining sec

– Written by Patrick Graham –  

Story by ProactiveInvestors