SriLanka, May 9 -- The US economy created 115,000 jobs in April as businesses kept hiring despite the economic fallout from the US-Israel war in Iran.

The increase was stronger than expected, with the total almost twice as much as economists had forecast.

The data, published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), also showed the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.3%.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz in response to US and Israeli strikes on Iran has sparked a global energy shock, pushing up the price of gasoline for American consumers.

The latest figures come after months of big fluctuations in job numbers. Non-farm payrolls fell by 156,000 in February before rising by 185,000 in March.

April's solid employment figures added...