Employers added 130,000 jobs in January, topping expectations

SelfRugger · 2026-02-24T06:38:47+00:00

In January, U.S. employers added 130,000 jobs, exceeding expectations, while the unemployment rate fell to 4.3%. However, revisions showed last year's job growth was much weaker than reported, indicating challenges in the labor market.

SelfRugger

2026-02-24 06:38:47

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Employers added 130,000 jobs in January, topping expectations

CBS News · Catherine McQueen / Getty Images

Mary Cunningham

Wed, February 11, 2026 at 10:42 PM GMT+9 1 min read

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Employers across the U.S. added 130,000 jobs in January, topping economists’ forecasts in a sign the labor market remains resilient.

By the numbers

Economists had forecast a monthly payroll gain of 75,000, according to polling from financial data company FactSet.

The unemployment rate in January stood at 4.3% in January, down from 4.4% in December, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday.

The report included major revisions that reduced the number of jobs created last year to just 181,000, the weakest since the pandemic year of 2020, and less than half the previously reported 584,000.

The January jobs report was initially scheduled for release on Jan. 6 but was delayed due to the partial government shutdown.

The employment figures come after last week’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or JOLTS, showed a slowdown in job openings, while a separate Labor Department report indicated a jump in unemployment claims.

Layoffs across the U.S. surged in January to their highest level for the month since 2009 as companies including Amazon and UPS announced large job cuts.

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