From the Wall Street Journal (non-gated article): Five initial takeaways from Friday’s report:
- The 195,000 gain is above expectations and above the 182,000 average of the past year. Prior results were revised higher, a good sign for the economic recovery (see my post on Friday: Five things to watch for in Friday’s non-farm payrolls report)
- 202,000 jobs added per month on average so far this year, above the 200,000 target some Fed officials have been citing
- The government sector remains a drag on employment, consumers are driving the recovery
- We’re ahead of schedule for ‘tapering’
- There are notes of caution and concern in the figures that are signs of a less than healthy jobs market