The January 2026 US jobs report, released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on February 11, revealed a stronger-than-expected addition of 130,000 nonfarm payroll jobs, surpassing economists' forecasts of around 55,000 to 75,000
The unemployment rate edged down slightly to 4.3%, with 7.4 million unemployed individuals, up from a year earlier.
Key gains were concentrated in health care (+81,900), social assistance (+41,600), construction (+33,000), and professional services (+34,000), while federal government (-42,000) and financial activities saw notable declines.
Average hourly earnings rose 0.4% to $37.17, supporting wage growth amid moderate inflation (CPI up 2.4% year-over-year).
Labor force participation held steady at 62.5%, and the employment-population ratio was 59.8%.
This headline strength signals potential resilience in the labor market after a sluggish 2025, where annual job gains were revised downward from 584,000 to just 181,000—a historically weak performance that raises questions about sustained economic momentum.
However, growth remains heavily reliant on essential sectors like health care, with retail and leisure adding minimal jobs, potentially masking broader slowdowns.
The report's delay due to a government shutdown adds to perceptions of volatility, but it could hint at a turnaround if followed by consistent gains, especially with updated BLS models for better accuracy.
Overall, while encouraging, the data underscores uneven recovery and the need for diversified job creation to support long-term stability.#Economy2025 USJobsReport #EmploymentData #LaborMarket ##JobGrowth