May 1997 — 1997-05-02

Advance copies of this statement are made available to the press under lock-up conditions with the explicit understanding that the data are embargoed until 8:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Unemployment declined in April, and nonfarm payroll employment rose. The unemployment rate dropped by three- tenths of a percentage point to 4.9 percent; over the prior 10 months, the rate had remained in a narrow range from 5.2 to 5.4 percent. Payroll employment increased by 142,000 in April, about the same as in March (as revised), but well below the growth realized in January and February. Unfavorable weather during the survey reference periods dampened construction hiring in both March and April. In April, employment in the services industry increased by 93,000. There were relatively large over-the- month gains in health services, social services, and engineering and management services. Job growth in computer and data processing services continued at its steady pace.