Construction job gains dip in April as unemployment drops 3 points

Though April’s jobs gain was among the lowest of the U.S. construction’s 13-month-long streak of staving off employment losses, the small increase was coupled with a sizable decrease in the industry’s unemployment rate.

Construction added 1,000 jobs in April, bringing the total number of Americans employed in construction to 6.670 million, according to preliminary data from the Labor Department.

The latest data also revised March’s total, decreasing it from 6.672 million to 6.669 million. However, due to a revision to the February total as well, the change actually led to a much higher month-to-month gain for March from the previously reported 27,000 to 41,000.

Meanwhile, the industry’s unemployment rate fell nearly 3 points from 8.7 percent to 6 percent. Construction unemployment was as low as 5.5 percent in September 2015 but by February had risen to 8.7 percent.

The U.S. economy added 160,000 jobs during April, with unemployment holding steady at 5 percent.

Construction job growth