March job gains smallest since December 2013

Washington

US employers added the fewest number of jobs in more than a year in March, which could heighten concerns over the recent slowdown in economic growth and delay an anticipated interest rate increase by the Federal Reserve.

Nonfarm payrolls rose 126,000 last month, the smallest gain since December 2013, the Labor Department said on Friday. The goods producing sector, which had been hurt by a strong dollar and lower crude oil prices, shed 13,000 jobs in March - the largest drop since July 2013.

The unemployment rate held at a more than 61/2-year low of 5.5 per cent because people dropped out of the labour force. "There's no question that the economy is showing the negative effects of the stronger dollar and the collapse in oi…