WASHINGTON â The U.S. economy added just 266,000 jobs in April, a disappointing month of growth that fell well below economistsâ estimates despite falling caseloads and increased vaccine distribution around the country. The April unemployment rate remained relatively unchanged at 6.1%, although economists caution the number is misleadingly low, given how many people have dropped out of the labor force in the last year. The news increased political pressure in Washington, amid concerns about whether a labor shortage, reported in some pockets of the economy, is slowing down the recovery. The White House rejected that notion on Friday, calling for patience and saying it will take the economy many months to recover from last yearâs trauma.