Job Cuts Surge, Unemployment Rises

0:00Local headlines, in two minutes or less, you're tuned in to Durham News Today. American employers cut 92,000 jobs last month, a bigger dropped and expected, and assigned the labor market as cooling. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.4%. The labor department shared this Friday, noting a pullback from January's 126,000 jobs added. Analysts had forecasted about 60,000 new positions for February. Revision's trimmed another 69,000 jobs from December and January counts. Laws has hit construction with 11,000 gone, likely from harsh winter weather. Healthcare dropped 28,000 after a major strike. Factories shed 12,000, restaurants and bars nearly 30,000, and support services around 19,000. Wages offered some bright spots, rising 0.4% from January and 3.8% over the past year. Still, businesses faced tough pressures from the war with Iran, past tariff uncertainties, and high interest rates that slowed hiring in 20.

1:02Twenty-five. That year averaged just 15,000 jobs monthly amid trade tensions. Recent deals with China, Japan, and Europe have eased some tariff impacts as companies pass costs to consumers and adapted. The Supreme Court also blocked major tariffs, though new ones loom. Looking ahead, a no-higher no-fire stance prevails, with firms holding steady on staff, baby boomer retirements, deportations, and AI investments lower the bar for stability, 0 to 50,000 jobs monthly now suffices, and 70,000 counts as strong. This story is made possible by our sponsor. No ear buds, no headbands, no awkward sleeping positions, just a pillow that plays your sound, S-O-L-I, solelypillow.com