March Jobs Report: Hiring Slowdown and Fed Concerns

The March jobs report is expected to show a slowdown in the US labor market, with nonfarm payrolls predicted to have grown by 239,000 last month and the unemployment rate holding steady at 3.6%. Investors will also be watching wage growth, with average hourly earnings expected to rise 0.3% over the month and 4.3% over last year. The report comes as the Federal Reserve continues to raise rates in a bid to slow the economy, with markets pricing in a 50-50 chance of another 0.25% rate increase next month.