Nonfarm payroll employment slumped again in March, falling by a seasonally adjusted 108,000, said the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate held steady at 5.8%. Data are from surveys covering the pay period that included March 12, a week before the war in Iraq began but after many reservists and National Guard were called up.

In addition, February's job loss was revised upward from an already huge 308,000 to 357,000, while January's gain swelled to 203,000 from 185,000.