Jobs, March | featured news

The number of Americans filing for jobless aid rose last week to the highest level since January, a development that could raise fears the labor market recovery was stalling after job creation slowed in March.

Employers hired far fewer workers in March than in previous months, keeping the door open for the Federal Reserve to provide more monetary support for a still sluggish economy.

U.S. consumer confidence fell in March after hitting a three-year high in the prior month as expectations about jobs and income growth worsened.