WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has reported that U.S. employment growth totaled 151,000 in February, falling below the 170,000 figure projected by Dow Jones economists, according to CNBC. February job growth exceeded the previous month’s total, which was revised down by 18,000 jobs to 125,000. The BLS also revised December’s job growth upward, from 307,000 jobs to 323,000. The U.S. unemployment rate increased slightly to 4.1 percent.
The healthcare sector led the way in job creation in February with 52,000 jobs, including gains in ambulatory healthcare services (+26,000), hospitals (+15,000) and nursing and residential care facilities (+12,000).
The financial sector contributed 21,000 overall jobs, including gains to real estate, rental and leasing (+10,000) and insurance carriers (+5,000). Commercial banking lost 5,000 jobs. Additional sectors that contributed employment increases were transportation and warehousing (+18,000) and social assistance (+11,000).
The BLS also reports that federal government employment declined by 10,000 while government payrolls simultaneously increased overall by 11,000.
Additionally, retail employment declined by 6,000 jobs. Employment in the food-and-beverage industry declined by 15,000, largely due to strike activity by workers at restaurant chains such as Starbucks. On the contrary, warehouse clubs, supercenters and other general merchandise retailers added 10,000 jobs.
There was little change in employment over the month in other major industries, including mining, quarrying, oil-and-gas extraction, construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, information, professional and business services and leisure and hospitality.