U.S. Labor Market Lost 92,000 Jobs in February, Unemployment Rose to 4.4 PercentJohn Carney 6 Mar 2026
The U.S. economy lost 92,000 jobs and the unemployment rate rose to 4.4 percent in February, the Labor Department said Friday.
Economists had forecast the economy would add 55,000 jobs and a steady unemployment rate at 4.3 percent. The prior month’s employment gain was adjusted down to 126,000 from 130,000.
Health care employment declined by 28,000 in February, reflecting a major strike by healthcare workers in January. The Department of Labor said that offices of physicians lost 37,000 jobs in February, “primarily due to strike activity.” Hospitals, on the other hand, added 12,000 jobs. Over the prior 12 months, health care added an
average of 36,000 jobs per month.
Tech employment continued to decline, likely reflecting the influence of artificial intelligence. In February, payrolls shrank by 11,000. On average, the information sector shed 5,000 jobs per month over the prior 12 months.
Transportation and warehousing employment fell by 11,000. Manufacturing jobs fell by 12,000. Construction lost 11,000 jobs. Leisure and hospitality payrolls contracted by 27,000, the second consecutive month of losses.
Retail and wholesale trade added a small number of jobs. Finance was the strongest sector, adding 10,000 jobs for the month.
The Trump administration’s efforts to shrink the federal government continued to cause payrolls to decline, with employment falling by 10,000. Since reaching a
peak in October 2024, federal government employment is down by 330,000, or 11.0 percent.
The labor market in the U.S. has experienced a significant shift away from dependence on an immigration-driven workforce. Jobs numbers that may seem anemic compared with recent years may actually indicate healthy—even robust—growth under current conditions, according to economists.
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https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2026/03/06/u-s-labor-market-lost-92000-jobs-in-february-unemployment-steady-at-4-3-percent/
