Job growth in the US picked up last month, gathering pace after the weakest year for new jobs since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Employers added a greater-than-expected 130,000 jobs in January, helping nudge the unemployment rate lower to 4.3%, the Labor Department said.
The figures could help ease fears about the health of the job market, after last year’s sharp slowdown as firms wrestled with changes, including major cuts to government spending and a crackdown on immigration.
The US added just 181,000 jobs in 2025, according to the latest data, even weaker than previously reported.
