The U.S. economy added 390,000 jobs in May, topping the market estimate of 328,000.
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.6 percent.
Average hourly earnings edged up 0.3 percent month-over-month, while annualized hourly early earnings increased by 5.2 percent. Average weekly hours stayed the same at 34.6. The labor force participation rate rose to 62.3 percent.
Economists had forecast that job growth would slow to a 13-month low last month.
Last month, retail trade fell by 61,000 jobs, with most of the employment declines led by merchandise stores (-33,000), apparel (-9,000), building material and garden supply stores (-7,000), and health and personal care outlets (-5,000)….