Stacy Boit,

The US economy created 115,000 jobs in April as businesses kept hiring despite the economic fallout from the US-Israel war in Iran.

The increase was stronger than expected, with the total almost twice as much as economists had forecast.

The data, published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), also showed the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.3%.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz in response to US and Israeli strikes on Iran has sparked a global energy shock, pushing up the price of gasoline for American consumers.

The latest figures come after months of big fluctuations in job numbers. Non-farm payrolls fell by 156,000 in February before rising by 185,000 in March.

April’s solid employment figures added to expectations the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates on hold as it seeks to keep a lid on inflation.

Revisions to March and February’s figures mean the number of jobs rose on average by 48,000 over the last three months.

That is in line with the so-called breakeven rate, the level of job creation at which new people entering the workforce can be absorbed.

The better-than-expected jobs figures helped to lift the major US stock indexes. The S&P 500 rose by 0.8% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed flat.