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February 05, 2016US EMPLOYMENT, JANUARY 2016
US employment growth slowed to 151,000 in January, falling short of job creation reported in December (+262,000) and overall in 2015 (averaged of +228,000 per month). Retail trade was the largest contributor to job growth with an increase of 58,000. Food services and drinking places (+47,000), health care (+37,000), manufacturing (+29,000) and finance (+18,000) also contributed to job gains. There were employment declines in private education services (-39,000), transportation (-20,000), mining (-7,000). Although there were employment gains in professional and techincal services (+25,000) these were mostly offset by falling employment at temporary help services (-25,000). There were insignficant changes in construction, wholesale trade and government employment.
The US unemployment rate edged down to 4.9 per cent in January 2016. The employment to population ratio was up to 59.6 per cent, its third monthly gain in a row. The participation rate was also up again to 62.7 per cent.
Note: the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the January 2016 data release includes revisions from its annual benchmarking, population revisions and updated seasonal adjustment factors.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics