Scott Horsley

The report's likely to reassure the Federal Reserve that the job market is relatively stable, allowing the central bank to focus, for now, on curbing stubborn inflation.

Much of the hiring in April was in health care, restaurants, retail, and transportation.

Factories, the federal government, and computer technology all saw a loss of jobs last month.

Average wages in April were up 3.6 percent from a year ago.

Wages have generally been rising faster than the cost of living.

although that could change with the sharp jump in gasoline prices triggered by the war with Iran.

Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

U.S.

employers added 115,000 jobs in April, more than forecasters predicted, but fewer than the month before.

Job gains for February and March were revised down by a total of 16,000 jobs.

Job gains in April were concentrated in health care, retail, restaurants, and transportation.

The federal government continued to cut jobs.

The unemployment rate remained low as the number of people working or looking for work shrank by 92,000.

Average wages in April were up 3.6 percent from a year ago, which is a slightly larger annual gain than the previous month.

Wages have generally been rising faster than prices, increasing workers' purchasing power, but the rapid run-up in gasoline prices is cutting into that advantage.

Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

Economists think employers added somewhere between 50 and 75,000 jobs in April.

That would be a slowdown compared to March's hiring rate, but it would be better than the average over the last 10 months.

Economist Sarah House of Wells Fargo will also be watching what happened to wages during the month.

Wage gains have been cooling off just as inflation and gas prices are heating up.