Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 215,000 in March, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 5.0%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate and the number of unemployed persons (8 million) were little changed during the month, as both measures have shown little movement since August.

Employment rose in a number on industries including construction (37,000), health care (37,000) and financial services (15,000).

However, employment in manufacturing and mining declined by 29,000 and 12,000, respectively, while employment in transportation and business services changed little during the month. Additionally, employment in rental and leasing services fell by 1.6%.