The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday edition that United States employers added only 57,000 jobs last month, less than half the previous month's total, reflecting a cautious economic outlook. An Associated Press dispatch to The Globe reports that the Labor Department announced that the unemployment rate fell to 4.2 per cent from 4.3 per cent in May, largely because many job seekers stopped looking and were not counted as unemployed. Businesses are cautious about the economy, as inflation hits a three-year high and consumer confidence remains low. The job market is in a "low-hire, low-fire" rut, providing security for those employed while job seekers face challenges. Although strong hiring in the spring raised hopes, recent reports indicate job gains are still limited. ZipRecruiter's Nicole Bachaud said: "We are in a market that is still very fragile, and still susceptible to shocks happening. There is still a lot of hesitation on the part of employers and workers themselves to make any moves." She noted that other government data show companies are posting more jobs but not filling them. Job gains initially reported in April and May were revised down: May from 172,000 to 129,000 and April from 179,000 to 148,000.