The U.S. job market turned weaker last month, dashing hopes for an economic rebound.

A report from the Labor Department on Friday shows employers cut 92,000 jobs in February, when economists had expected the U.S. would continue adding jobs, albeit at a sluggish pace. The unemployment rate inched up to 4.4%.

Job gains for December and January were also revised downward, with December now showing a net loss 17,000 jobs.

The weaker than expected jobs report comes as Americans are already anxious about the high cost of living. Those affordability concerns will likely be amplified as the war in Iran has triggered a sharp rise in energy prices. AAA reports the average price of gasoline jumped another 7 cents overnight, to $3.32 a gallon. That’s 21 cents higher than this time last year.

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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    9 hours ago

    Economists had forecast a gain of 48,000 following January’s downwardly revised 11,000 increase – half the original estimate.

    That means the prediction was 22k new juobs, had just been decreased to 11k new jobs, and then shot up to 48k…

    That’s not a sign that we should expect good things, that was a sign that someone may have caved from pressure after saying 11k.and went with a number that was obviously bullshit.

    Apparently some people believed it tho, so I can admit when I’m wrong. I tend to overestimate people