Summary
In January, the U.S. saw a surprising boost in job growth with 130,000 new jobs, following a weak 2025. This growth reduced the unemployment rate to 4.3% as reported by the Labor Department. The increase mainly came from healthcare and construction, even though some sectors lost jobs.
Key Facts
- The U.S. added 130,000 jobs in January.
- The unemployment rate dropped to 4.3%.
- Job growth was much stronger than many experts expected.
- The healthcare and construction sectors saw the most new jobs.
- The U.S. created only 181,000 jobs in 2025, lower than earlier reports.
- Some economists say the job growth might appear stronger because of data quirks.
- The U.S. central bank is under less pressure to cut interest rates because of this growth.
- Pay increased by 3.7% over the past year, on average.
