May’s surprising pace of job growth along with a rise in wages added to conviction that the Federal Reserve will stay on hold through this summer and possibly beyond. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday that nonfarm payrolls increased by 272,000 for the month, considerably higher than the Wall Street consensus of 190,000 and well above April’s comparatively muted gain of 165,000. In addition, average hourly earnings rose 4.1% over the past 12 months, more than expected. Beyond signaling a still-vibrant labor market, the data at the very least add to the narrative that the Fed doesn’t have to be in a rush ... (full story)