Published March 9, 2025 1:55 pm est
by Richard F. Cason,
KEY TAKE AWAYS:
- U.S. Jobs report rose by 151,000 new jobs added to the U.S. Labor Markets for the month of February
- February 2025 Employment in financial activities rose by 21,000
- In the Currency Markets U.S. dollar gained significant strength against the Cad and weaken against the Euro currencies across the board
- Unemployment rate holds steady at 4.1% a slight .1% decrease from the previous months report
- February Joblessness numbers for Blacks edged down by .1% to 6.0%, while Hispanics unemployment rate fractionally increased by ;1% to 5.2 percent respectively
- Positive February 2025 Job Gains in Transportation and Warehousing, Heath Care
February Job Gains Steady as U.S. Economy Shows Mixed Signals
In February, the U.S. job market demonstrated resilience with total nonfarm payroll employment rising by 151,000,keeping the unemployment rate steady at 4.1%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
While many sectors, including healthcare and transportation, saw job gains, federal government employment faced a decline of 10,000 positions.
February Employment Landscape Remains Stable
The employment landscape remains stable, with the unemployment rate holding within a narrow range of 4.0% to 4.2% since May 2024.
Notably, the unemployment rate for Black Americans stood at 6.0%, and for Hispanics, it was at 5.2%, showing little change over the month.
The total number of unemployed individuals is approximately 7.1 million, with long-term unemployment—those jobless for 27 weeks or more—remaining at 1.5 million, accounting for about 20.9% of the total unemployed.
Job Market Reveals Challenges
Despite the overall positive signs, the job market reveals challenges.
The number of people working part-time for economic reasons increased by 460,000 to nearly 5 million, indicating that many still prefer full-time work but are unable to find it.
Additionally, the number of individuals not in the labor force but seeking jobs rose by 414,000, suggesting a growing pool of potential workers.
Job Market and Wages showed signs of improvement
On the industry front, healthcare led the way with 52,000 new jobs, while financial activities added 21,000 positions.
Transportation and warehousing continued their upward trend, adding 18,000 jobs. However, the retail sector experienced a slight downturn, losing 6,000 jobs, primarily due to strike actions.
Wages showed signs of improvement as well, with average hourly earnings increasing by 10 cents to $35.93.
Over the past year, wages have risen by 4.0%, indicating that while job growth is steady, workers are beginning to see better compensation.
Market Reactions and Currency Moves
Market Reactions and Currency Moves Following the job report, global markets reacted positively, particularly for the euro, which strengthened against the U.S. dollar.
Investors viewed the steady job growth as a sign of economic resilience, hoping it could lead to more stable growth in Europe as well.
The euro’s uptick reflects optimism about transatlantic trade and economic interdependence. Conversely, the Canadian dollar remained relatively stable but is closely tied to U.S. economic performance due to strong trade relations.
Analysts suggest that while the moderate job gains might not lead to significant currency shifts, the positive reception of the U.S. job report could bolster confidence in both the euro and the dollar in the coming weeks.
February Jobs Report Reflects a Stable Job Market
Overall, while the February job report reflects a stable job market with areas of growth—especially for Black and Hispanic workers—challenges remain.
The favorable reaction from the euro highlights the interconnected nature of global economies and the careful watch on the U.S. economy’s trajectory.
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Reference: U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. (2025). Employment Situation Summary Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.
