"American employers unexpectedly cut 92,000 jobs last month, a sign that the labor market remains under strain. The unemployment rate blipped up to 4.4%. The Labor Department reported Friday that hiring deteriorated from January, when companies, nonprofits and government agencies added a healthy 126,000 jobs."
"Employers were reluctant to hire last year because of uncertainty over President Donald Trump's tariffs and the unpredictable way he rolled them out. High interest rates, engineered by the Federal Reserve to combat a burst of inflation following the COVID-19 pandemic, also weighed on the job market in 2025."
"Businesses needed a year to bake some of those costs into their business model, and now it's time to get back to growth mode,'' said Andy Decker, CEO of Atlanta-based Goodwin Recruiting."
American employers unexpectedly cut 92,000 jobs in February, with the unemployment rate rising to 4.4%. This decline contrasts sharply with January's addition of 126,000 jobs and fell well short of economist expectations for 60,000 new positions. Revisions removed an additional 69,000 jobs from December and January figures. Construction shed 11,000 jobs due to cold weather, while healthcare lost 28,000 positions following a Kaiser Permanente strike. The labor market weakness reflects ongoing challenges from tariff uncertainty, high interest rates, and geopolitical tensions. However, some economists suggest businesses are adapting to tariff costs and may return to growth as trade policies stabilize.
Read at www.eastbaytimes.com
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