WASHINGTON — Nonfarm payroll employment continued to trend up (+97,000), and the unemployment rate (4.5 percent) was essentially unchanged in February, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Employment grew in some service-providing industries but declined sharply in construction. Manufacturing employment continued to trend downward. Average hourly earnings rose by 6 cents, or 0.4 percent, over the month.
No more results found. In February, the number of unemployed persons (6.9 million) and the unem- ployment rate (4.5 percent) were essentially unchanged. The jobless rate has remained within a narrow range--4.4 to 4.6 percent--since September 2006.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor