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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| US jobs data gives positive shock | US jobs data gives positive shock |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The US economy lost 20,000 jobs in April, according to non-farm payrolls figures from the Labor Department. | The US economy lost 20,000 jobs in April, according to non-farm payrolls figures from the Labor Department. |
| The figure was better than had been expected, but it is still the fourth consecutive month of falls as the economy continues to slow. | The figure was better than had been expected, but it is still the fourth consecutive month of falls as the economy continues to slow. |
| The jobless rate fell to 5% from 5.1% in March, when it had been expected to increase to 5.2%. | The jobless rate fell to 5% from 5.1% in March, when it had been expected to increase to 5.2%. |
| New York shares are expected to open higher as a result, while the US dollar has been strengthening. | New York shares are expected to open higher as a result, while the US dollar has been strengthening. |
| Big improvement | |
| US Treasury bond prices fell sharply when the figures were released, as they suggest the economy may not be faring as badly as had been thought and investors decided that interest rate cuts may now be put on hold. | |
| The payrolls figure was a big improvement from the 81,000 jobs lost in March and comes just as consumers are receiving their tax rebate cheques as part of the government's stimulus package. | |
| "It's a lot better than expected, both in terms of the non-farm payroll number and the unemployment rate, so it looks like the economy is in better shape than we thought," said Owen Fitzpatrick of Deutsche Bank Private Wealth Management. | |
| "It's a positive, but I don't think it'll be a blowout positive." | |
| "This will alleviate some of the concerns that we're in for a steep reduction in employment and a prolonged, drawn-out recession." | |
| Nevertheless, it is the worst run of negative payrolls figures since the five month run from February to June 2003. |