The numbers:<\/strong> The US added a stronger-than-expected 390,000 new jobs in May, signaling the labor market and broader economy are still going strong despite some fraying around the edges.<\/p>\n Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal had forecast a smaller increase of 328,000 new jobs after reports leading up the government’s employment survey had hinted at slower hiring.<\/p>\n The increase in employment was the smallest in 13 months. Yet economists say employment growth was bound to slow as the US recovered most of the jobs lost during the pandemic.<\/p>\n The unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.6%, the government said Friday, and remained just a tick above the pre-pandemic low.<\/p>\n The size of the labor force grew by 330,000 in May, nudging the so-called participation rate up to 62.3% from 62.2%. The share of the working-age population who either have jobs or are looking for one is still below pre-pandemic levels, however. <\/p>\n In premarket trades, stocks were little changed after the jobs report.<\/p>\n Wall Street investors and the Federal Reserve were on full alert before the May jobs report. Investors are looking for clues the economy is beginning to soften as the Fed moves to sharply raise interest rates to curb the highest inflation in 40 years.<\/p>\n