Hiring roars back in June with 287,000 gain in new jobs

Hiring in the U.S. roared back in June with a gain of 287,000 new jobs, largely putting to rest lingering worries that the labor market and broader economy had taken a turn for the worse.

The sharp rebound in hiring last month fits with other evidence, including extremely low layoffs and record job openings, that suggest the labor market remains the healthiest it’s been in years. The June jobs report also offers confirmation the U.S. economy is expanding at a moderate pace and keeping a seven-year-old recovery intact.

Economists polled by MarketWatch had forecast a 170,000 increase in new nonfarm jobs, an estimate that included about 35,000 Verizon employees returning to work after a prolonged strike.