U.S. Job Growth Beats Expectations in April, but Economic Warning Signs Mount

Despite signs of labor market resilience, warning signs are mounting: job openings have dropped, jobless claims have risen, and factory activity is contracting. The U.S. economy also shrank by 0.3% in Q1. With economic uncertainty heightened by President Trump's tariff policies, the Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady next week, though markets anticipate several rate cuts by year-end.