The US added 139,000 jobs in May, beating economists’ expectations but indicating a slowdown from previous months. However, a closer look at the numbers reveals concerns about the economy. The past two months’ job numbers were revised downward, and labor force participation saw a steep decline. Certain industries, such as manufacturing, lost jobs in May.
Almost all of the job growth came from healthcare and hospitality industries, with manufacturing shedding 8,000 jobs, including 7,300 in machinery manufacturing. The professional and business services industry took the biggest hit, down 18,000 jobs, with administrative and support services losing 21,900 jobs.
The retail industry also saw a decline of 6,500 jobs, while the residential contracting industry lost 11,000 jobs, and building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers shed 2,600 jobs. This marks an “abundance of caution” economy, where companies outside healthcare and restaurants are hesitant to hire, and temporary help jobs are being slashed.
Economists warn that this slowdown may have a significant impact on job seekers, especially recent graduates. The trade war is expected to continue, which will keep hiring freezes in place until it gets resolved.
Source: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/6/6/2326306/-Hey-Trump-your-tariffs-are-still-killing-manufacturing-jobs