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Job growth surged in March, as employers added 303,000 positions and the unemployment rate edged down, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. Why it matters: The U.S. labor market has proved remarkably resilient over the last year, as employers keep seeking workers despite a bumpy economic environment. The latest numbers affirm that strength, handily beating analysts' forecasts. By the numbers: The jobless rate fell as more people entered the work force — a good sign for growth potential. The labor force participation rate rose by 0.2 percentage points to 62.7%. Average hourly earnings were up 0.3%, and are up...

Job growth in the private sector slowed sharply in August, coming in below economists’ expectations and hinting at a cooling labor market. The private sector added only 177,000 jobs in August, according to the latest ADP National Employment report released Wednesday. This marks a significant drop from July’s numbers, which ADP revised upward to 371,000. Economists surveyed by Reuters had anticipated a 195,000 increase in private employment, while those polled by Dow Jones had forecast a 200,000 increase, according to CNBC. “This month’s numbers are consistent with the pace of job creation before the pandemic,” said Nela Richardson, the chief...

Democrat Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) leads her Republican opponent Tiffany Smiley by under three points in deep blue Washington state. According to new polling from Trafalgar Group, Murray, who has been serving since 1993, only leads Smiley by 2.9 points.

New York(CNN Business)US drivers got a slight — very slight — break on prices this weekend as the AAA average for a gallon of unleaded gas fell below the $5 mark. The average price Sunday was $4.98 a gallon, down from $4.99 in Saturday's reading. The average gas price had been $5 or above for the previous seven days, the first time on record prices crossed that mark. It hit a high of $5.02 a gallon on Tuesday and has declined by a fraction of a penny each day since then.

President Biden’s popularity dropped to its lowest point yet in a CBS News/YouGov poll out Sunday — with just 42% of Americans approving of Biden’s performance while 58 percent disapprove. Biden’s approval rating is low across the board, including among demographic groups that generally support Democrats, including racial minorities and young people.

U.S. oil tumbled more than 8% on Monday, breaking below $100 per barrel, amid talks between Russia and Ukraine as well as new lockdowns in China — which could dent demand. West Texas Intermediate crude futures, the U.S. oil benchmark, lost 8.75% to trade at $99.76 per barrel. International benchmark Brent crude shed 8% to trade at $103.68 per barrel.

Arizona’s COVID-19 cases have dipped below 3,000 for the first time in five days, The Associated Press reported. Arizona’s Department of Health Services (DHS) on Monday reported 2,362 new cases of the virus along with zero COVID-related deaths. The state still has 1,901 people hospitalized with COVID-19, the first time it has reached such heights since February.

A poll on Monday revealed 49 percent of likely voters disapprove of President Joe Biden’s performance, slipping one point since Friday. The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll also indicated 49 percent of likely voters approve of Biden’s performance. Gallup published a poll Friday that marked Biden at a 50 percent approval rating. Biden’s slipping in the polls comes as the nation has experienced an increase in crime, inflation, and migrants crossing the southern border. The issues, which Democrats have attempted to solve by reducing police, printing more money, and ending former President Trump’s immigration policies, are spilling over into...

(Reuters) - Support for California Governor Jerry Brown's plan to shut a $27 billion budget gap has eroded since he introduced it in January, a new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California showed on Wednesday. Democrat Brown wants to close the budget hole with a mix of spending cuts and tax hikes, and he wants voters to get the chance to approve the package in a special election. So far Republicans have opposed the special election and tax hikes.

LOS ANGELES - Potato chips and french fries could soon come with a warning label if the state's top attorney prevails in a lawsuit filed Friday against nine fast food chains and snack-food makers. Attorney General Bill Lockyer asked for a court order requiring McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Frito Lay and other companies to warn consumers that their fries and chips may contain acrylamide, a chemical the state says causes cancer. "In taking this action, I am not telling people to stop eating potato chips or french fries," Lockyer said. "I know from personal experience that, while these snacks may...