The economy created only 75,000 jobs in May. | Manuel Balce Ceneta, file/AP Photo Employment Job growth falls to 75,000 in May

The economy created only 75,000 jobs in May, the Labor Department reported Friday, signaling that economic growth may be slowing as President Donald Trump prepares to impose steep tariffs on Mexico.

The May jobs number was a steep fall from April's 224,000. It was also well below the 223,000 average monthly gain for 2019 and significantly below financial experts' expectations. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had predicted that the report would show 173,000 jobs created in May.


Other indicators in the report were more favorable, however, with average hourly earnings in the private sector up 3.1 percent and unemployment remaining at 3.6 percent