The U.S. economy added 225,000 jobs in January and the unemployment rate ticked up to 3.6.
Economists had expected the economy to add 160,000 jobs. December’s figure was revised up from 145,000 to 147,000.
The unemployment rate edged up because the labor force participation rate increased, meaning the strong labor market drew more people into the workforce. The participation rate rose to 63.4 percent in January, the best rate since the last recession.
The employment to population ratio for prime age workers rose to 80.6 percent, the highest since 2001.
BREAKING: Trump Ends DHS Payment Freeze Without Congress, Issues Immediate Orders to New DHS Sec. Markwayne Mullin
Schumer, Dems block DHS funding again as Trump intervenes to pay TSA agents
Nancy Mace Poised to Side with Democrats to Pass War Powers Resolution: ‘War with Iran Needs to End’
Elon Musk demands judge’s recusal after latest flare-up over alleged bias
Bombshell Report: US Intel Finds Ukrainian Messages Detailing Plot to Swing Election Toward Biden
Andy Barr seeks to thwart ‘patently false’ Kentucky Senate ad with cease and desist
Netflix Denies Exec Called Muslims ‘Dangerous People’ After Reportedly Asking Comic to Cut Islam Joke
‘You can do everything right’: Crime reporter on sexual assault survival and lack of justice
Judge blocks Fulton County bid to force FBI testimony over seized election records
Long Island woman missing after jumping from moving vehicle in panicked state
Los Angeles schools accused of quietly funding race-based programming for Black students only
Trump pauses Iran energy plant strikes for 10 days as talks ‘going very well’
House Democrats vote to keep DHS shuttered as funding lapse hits day 40
Mysterious 4-Second Video Posted by Official White House Account Ignites Rampant Speculation
Army Increases Maximum Enlistment Age by 7 Years, Softens Other Restrictions
The Department of Labor said that notable job gains occurred in construction, in health care, and in transportation and warehousing. Construction employment was up by 44,000, which likely reflected the unusually warm weather in much of the country during the month.
Manufacturing remained in slump territory, losing 12,000 positions for the month and remaining essentially unchanged year over year.
Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 7 cents to $28.44. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 3.1 percent.
Story cited here.
