By Tom Burnett CFA
Total employment in the U. S. economy declined by 92,000 in February, according to a March 6 Report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate was 4.4%, unchanged from the prior month. Federal government employment fell by 10,000 and now totals 330,000 jobs lost since October 2024.
Average hourly earnings for the private non-farm workforce rose $0.15 to $37.32, up 3.8% from the previous year.
Revisions to prior reports came to a reduction of 69,000 jobs.
The next Employment Report will be issued on April 3, 2026.
Tom Burnett CFA is Director of Research