The U.S. labor market sharply outperformed expectations Friday, as monthly employment growth and wage increases in May topped topped forecasts. U.S. employers added 272,000 nonfarm payrolls in May, down from the downwardly revised 165,000 figure in April, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. May Jobs Report: Key Highlights Nonfarm payrolls increased by 272,000 in May, a slowdown from April’s 165,000 and far more than the 180,000 increase anticipated by Econoday. The unemployment rate inched higher from 3.9% to 4%. Average hourly earnings rose by 4.1% year-over-year, ...