US economy adds fewer jobs in May than expected

The economy added a modest 138,000 jobs in May, the Labor Department reported Friday. The unemployment rate, meanwhile, fell again to 4.3% from 4.4% and touched the lowest level since 2001. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expected 180,000 job gains. Average hourly earnings increased by 0.2% from April and rose by 2.5% year-on-year. Job creation was boosted by the health care sector, professional and business services, food and drinking places, and mining.