US upbeat as firms create 288,00 jobs

US employers boosted payrolls in April by the most in two years and the jobless rate plunged to 6.3% as companies grew confident the American economy is emerging from a first-quarter slowdown.

The 288,000 gain in employment was the biggest since January 2012 and followed a revised 203,000 increase the prior month, according to US Labor Department figures.

Unemployment dropped to its lowest level since September 2008.