Stories

Fri, 06 Mar 2026

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 US economy unexpectedly sheds 92,000 jobs in February

The contraction came as a surprise with payrolls down in nearly every sector.

* US jobs fell by 92,000 last month
* Unemployment rate rose to 4.4%
* This was the biggest monthly job loss since October
* Nearly every sector shed jobs, including healthcare (typically a source of strength) and federal government employment (which has dropped by 330,000 or 11% since October 2024)
* Job gains in December and January were lower than initially estimated
* Analysts say this dents hopes that hiring might be accelerating after the 2025 slowdown
* The report sent shares on Wall Street lower and raised pressure on US President Donald Trump
* Democrats seized on the figures, while White House officials downplayed their significance