Dive Brief:

• Employment in the U.S. was stagnant in March, according to the U.S. Commerce Department’s monthly jobs report. 

• Retail employment continued to trend up, adding 26,000 jobs, about equal to March last year. General merchandise stores added 11,000 jobs in March, according to the report.

• The news surprised many economists, who said the employment boom was likely interrupted by severe and lingering winter weather in much of the country, as well as the strong dollar.

Dive Insight:

Economists are calling this report a soft spot created by a few anomalies, including severe weather in many parts of the country that have especially frozen the hospitality and restaurant sectors. While many expect a rebound in warmer weather, the problem of stagnant wages remains, and will likely have a particular effect on retail.