United States lost 92,000 jobs in February and unemployment rose to 4.4%

Workers work on a construction site in New York (USA). Photo: EFE/Justin Lane

United States lost 92,000 jobs in February and unemployment rose to 4.4%

TL;DR

  • US employment dropped by 92,000 in February, contrary to economists' expectations.
  • The unemployment rate rose to 4.4% from 4.3% the previous month.
  • Job losses were concentrated in the healthcare sector due to strikes.
  • Employment in information and federal government sectors also declined.
  • The data raises concerns about a potential cooling of the labor market.
  • These figures might encourage the Federal Reserve to consider interest rate cuts.