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U.S. Created 211,000 Jobs in April, Unemployment at Its Lowest Since 2007

Job creation bounced back in April, adding 211,000 after a dismal showing in March.
Image: Reading, Pennsylvania Struggles To Overcome Vast Swaths Of Poverty
READING, PA - OCTOBER 19: A man works on the factory floor at Quadrant, a high end plastic processor on October 19, 2011 in Reading, Pennsylvania. Quadrant, a 70 year old company, employs more than 2000 people in 20 countries and is one of the few remaining manufacturers in the area to still provide stable jobs in an uncertain economy. Reading, a city that once boasted numerous industries and the nation's largest railroad company, has recently been named America's poorest city with residents over 65,000. According to new census data, 41.3 percent of people live below the poverty line in Reading. Reading has about 90,000 residents, many of whom are recent Hispanic arrivals who have moved from larger eastern cities over the past decade. While a manufacturing base offering well paying jobs still exists in Reading, many companies like Hershey, Stanley Tool and Dana Systems have either moved elsewhere in the United States or to Mexico in search of cheaper labor. The number of people living in poverty in America, 46.2 million, is now at its highest level for the 52 years the Census Bureau has been keeping records. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)Spencer Platt / Getty Images

The nation's economy is still on a strong upward trajectory, according to the latest monthly report from the Department of Labor, which showed an increase of 211,000 jobs for the month of April. Unemployment fell to 4.4 percent, its lowest level since May 2007.

April’s strong showing puts economic growth firmly back on track after a miserable March, when only 79,000 jobs were added (revised down from 98,000), and paves the way for the Federal Reserve to hike up the interest rate next month.

Image: President Trump gives a speech in Ypsilanti, Michigan
President Donald J. Trump gives a speech at the American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti, Michigan on March 15, 2017. Trump spoke regarding keeping manufacturing and jobs in America.Rena Laverty / EPA

Economists agree that March's slump was related primarily to the weather — which held up construction jobs — but also the timing of Easter and Passover this year.

Interestingly, the retail sector saw small gains in April, following two months of steep declines as online shopping takes a larger role in consumer spending patterns. There has been a rash of retail closings over the past weeks, with retailers such as J.C. Penney and Macy’s announcing thousands of layoffs, and Sears indicating that it may not even be able to survive the current retail environment.

Related: A Graphic Guide to the Monthly Jobs Report

Unemployment hit its lowest level in almost a decade, at 4.4 percent, but wage growth still hasn't hit the magic number of 3 percent that traditionally allows healthy hiring patterns to ripple through the rest of the economy.

However, at 2.5 percent, "This adds to the perception that it's going to be easier and easier to find a job if you want one these days," Brian Coulton, chief economist at Fitch Ratings, told CNBC. "It's job security that causes people to ask for wage rises. If it's easier for them to get a job outside their company, they're more likely to push for higher wages."

At the conclusion of its two-day policy meeting this week, the Fed indicated the slowdown in economic growth was "transitory," and will likely be looking to the April jobs numbers to underline that position.