United States Records 92,000 Job Losses in February
Last update: March 6, 2026
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Unemployment edges up as health care strikes and sectoral slowdowns weigh on the labor market.
The US economy unexpectedly lost jobs in February, reversing the prior month's gains, while unemployment edged higher, government data showed Friday, raising fresh concerns about the labor market.
The Labor Department reported that the country shed 92,000 jobs last month, down from growth of 126,000 in January. The unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.4 percent from 4.3 percent.
The overall drop in employment was driven largely by health care, where strike activity weighed on staffing, the Labor Department said. "Employment in information and federal government continued to trend down," the report added.
Economists had widely expected a slowdown in job growth, but few anticipated an outright decline.
The figures are likely to intensify worries about the labor market, which has previously supported consumer confidence and household spending.
They could also strengthen arguments for the Federal Reserve to resume lowering interest rates to bolster the economy.
