The dilemma of a no-war president: Winning is not on the cards

LAST week's economic news was probably greeted with some applause at the White House. The latest employment figures pointed to clear signs of bright lights at the end of the tunnel, with more workers jumping back into the labour market as the pandemic grip was receding.

American employers added 431,000 jobs in the retail and manufacturing sectors in March, marking the 11th straight month of job gains above 400,000, according to the US Labor Department report. It was the longest job expansion in around 80 years.

A continued rise in consumer demand combined with the decline in pandemic-related health restrictions have been driving this growth in employment, as the economy recovered more than 90 per cent of the 22 million jobs lost during the 2020 lockdowns.