The March nonfarm payrolls were surprisingly strong. If the current favorable trend in the U.S. labor market continues, gold may struggle. As the chart below shows, in March 2021, total nonfarm payrolls rose by 916,000, following gains of 468,000 in February (after an upward revision). The latest gains were the largest since August 2020. It’s important to note here that job growth was widespread, although led by gains in leisure, hospitality, education, and construction. {chart} Furthermore, the U.S. economy added significantly more jobs than expected. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch forecasted 675,000 additions, ... (full story)