Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 313,000 in February, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.1 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment rose in construction, retail trade, professional and business services, manufacturing, financial activities, and mining. Household Survey Data In February, the unemployment rate was 4.1 percent for the fifth consecutive month, and the number of unemployed persons was essentially unchanged at 6.7 million. (See table A-1.) Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rate for Blacks declined to 6.9 percent in February, while the ... (full story)

U.S. employers added the most workers since mid- 2016 as labor-force participation swelled, while below-forecast wages and a downward revision to January's figure suggest the pay gains that spooked markets last month aren't yet taking hold. Payrolls rose 313,000 in February, compared with the 205,000 median estimate in a survey of economists, and the two prior months were revised higher by 54,000, Labor Department figures showed Friday. The jobless rate held at 4.1 percent, the fifth straight month at that level. Average hourly earnings increased 2.6 percent from a year earlier following a downwardly revised 2.8 ... (full story)