February jobs report: U.S. payrolls fell 92,000 and unemployment rose to 4.4%
Mar 7th 2026
BLS data released today show a loss of 92,000 jobs in February and a downward revision to January, highlighting slowing job growth even as the unemployment rate remains relatively low.
- U.S. payrolls declined by 92,000 in February, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- January payroll gains were revised down from 126,000 to 57,000 jobs added.
- The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.4% in February.
- Three of the last seven months have shown negative job growth, signaling a slowing trend.
- Topline measures like payrolls and unemployment do not capture all aspects of broader economic health.