A stronger-than-expected January: U.S. employers added 130,000 jobs in January and the unemployment rate ticked down to 4.3%, beating consensus forecasts and offering a brighter start to 2026 after a sluggish prior year. The delayed Labor Department release refreshed attention on the labour market after recent weak readings.
Where the gains showed up: Job growth was concentrated in health care and construction, while some areas such as federal government and parts of transportation and finance shed roles. Average hourly earnings rose — supporting household incomes even as hiring remains uneven across sectors.
