Nonfarm employment in the United States increased by 151,000 in February, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said in a report on Friday. While the figure exceeded 143,000 in January, it fell short of expectations. The unemployment rate remained largely stable in February at 4.1%, with the number of unemployed people at 7.1 million.
The biggest employment gains were seen in healthcare, which added 52,000 jobs in February, followed by financial activities at 21,000 and transportation and warehousing at 18,000. Federal employment recorded the biggest losses at 10,000. Average hourly earnings increased by 10 cents, or 0.3%, to $35.93, while the average workweek was unchanged from January at 34.1 hours.
