US EditionU.S. Economy Adds 130,000 Jobs in January, Exceeding Expectations; Unemployment Falls to 4.3%
Job growth led by health care and construction sectors, with the federal workforce shrinking by 42,000 jobs, signaling mixed trends in U.S. labor market conditions.
- On Wednesday, the U.S. Labor Department reported U.S. employers added 130,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate fell to 4.3%.
- Government revisions cut into the previously reported 584,000 jobs figure, sharply reducing prior payroll totals and muddling 2024-2025 payrolls.
- Private measures showed weaker hiring as ADP payroll processor reported 22,000 jobs added last week, while Challenger, Gray & Christmas recorded more than 108,000 cuts last month and job openings fell to 6.5 million.
- Analysts say the unemployment rate is providing a better gauge amid revisions and will influence policy and markets, while economists warned revisions could mean the American economy lost jobs in 2025.
- Policy factors including high interest rates, Elon Musk's federal workforce purge last year, and President Donald Trump's immigration policies have cut labor supply and lowered the jobs break-even point.
313 Articles
313 Articles
US's low unemployment rate masks lack of job growth
The country's unemployment rate stood at just 4.3% in January, according to official figures published on Wednesday, but hiring stalled across many sectors. Since Donald Trump returned to office, monthly job creation has dropped to levels not seen since the 2008 financial crisis.
U.S. Jobs Report Shows Overall Job Growth of 130,000
Photo: Doug Hood ~ USA TODAY NETWORK PODCAST: Feb. 12, 2026 ~ Chris Renwick and Lloyd Jackson spoke with Patrick Anderson, principal and CEO of Anderson Economic Group. They discussed the January jobs report, with Anderson noting positive growth, especially in the private sector.WASHINGTON D.C. ~ The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its January jobs report on Wednesday, showing a better-than-expected job market. The report shows that…
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The Big Three 1 US nonfarm payrolls shock to the upside at 130,000 — nearly double consensus. The delayed January employment report showed 130,000 jobs added versus the 70,000 expected, with the unemployment rate dipping to 4.3% from 4.4%. However, 2025 annual payrolls were revised down by 862,000 on a non-seasonally adjusted basis
Labor Market Flexes Muscle and Exhibits Flab in Latest BLS Data
The latest jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics swung in like a spider web: at once stronger than steel and softer than silk. The strength was on display in January, when a reported 130,000 jobs were added to the US economy, more than double the Wall Street consensus estimate of 55,000. This resilience helped lower the unemployment rate by a tenth of a percentage point to 4.3%. But revisions to 2025 data showed the labor market has a …
The U.S. labour market began in 2026 over expectations, with 130,000 new jobs created in January, according to the seasonal adjustment data published by the Employment Statistics Office, the CNBC transmitted it.
Revised economic numbers inject uncertainty into jobs market
The U.S. economy opened 2026 on better footing, with the latest jobs report showing employers added 130,000 jobs in January. But the data also had revised figures that paint an even weaker picture of last year’s performance. It comes as some corporations like Amazon and UPS are announcing layoffs. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Harry Holzer, a former chief economist for the Department of Labor.
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