The U.S. economy cranked out 157,000 jobs in May, the most in two months, while the unemployment rate held firm at 4.5%.

The newest report on the overall employment climate, released Friday by the U.S. Labour Department, suggested that the sluggish spell the economy has been experiencing hasn’t affected companies’ need for workers.

Health care, education, professional and business services, leisure and hospitality and government were among the sectors adding jobs. But weakness persisted in manufacturing, construction and retailing, partly reflecting fallout from a year-long housing slump.

The report was better than economists were expecting. They were forecasting employers to add just 135,000 jobs in May. They did, though, say they believed the overall unemployment rate would stay at 4.5%, considered low by historical standards.

Employers boosted payrolls by 175,000 in March and by 80,000 in April, according to revised figures released Friday. Job gains for each of those months were just a tad smaller than previously estimated.

Friday’s employment report was encouraging because it also indicated that companies are holding up well to the recent rise in gasoline and other energy costs.

Education and health services added 54,000 jobs last month. Professional and busineses services expanded employment by 32,000. Leisure and hospitality boosted payrolls by 46,000 and the government added 22,000 positions.

Those gains help to blunt weaknesses elsewhere. Manufacturers shed 19,000 jobs and retailers cut 5,000. Construction employment showed no change.

Workers saw modest wage gains; average hourly earnings rose to US$17.30 in May, a 0.3% increase from the previous month. That matched economists’ expectations. Over the last 12 months, wages grew by 3.8%.

Wage growth is important to workers and supports consumer spending, a major force shaping overall economic activity. The modest increase in wages should ease inflation fears.

Against that backdrop, the U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to leave a key interest rate alone when it meets next on June 27 and 28. That would extend a year-long breather for borrowers.

The economy in the first quarter grew at a rate of just 0.6%, its worst showing in more than four years.

Many economists believe the economy in the current second quarter rebounded, growing at a pace of around 2.3%, which would still mark a sluggish performance.