The US unemployment rate edged up to 9.9 per cent according to the US Labour Department while 290,000 new jobs were created, 66,000 as temporary hirings for census activities by the Federal government. The Labour force as a whole increased by over 800,000 in April.

According to Obama the unemployment rate rose as a result of people returing to the job market.

“This increase is largely a reflection of the fact that workers who had dropped out of the workforce entirely are now seeing jobs again,” Mr Obama said.

Total number of Americans out of a job in April stood at 15.3 million.

Most analysts expect unemployment in the US to remain high for the rest of the year as the economy continues to suffer from the financial crisis that began in December 2007, pushing 8 million people out of their jobs.

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