Was February’s lackluster job growth a blip or a trend?

Ben Bradford Apr 4, 2019

Was February’s lackluster job growth a blip or a trend?

Ben Bradford Apr 4, 2019

Job seekers arrive at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center for The Opportunity Hiring Fair in Washington, DC, on September 20, 2017. MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

In February, the government reported employers added just 20,000 jobs, a figure that fell far below expectations. The overall unemployment rate still fell, to 3.8 percent, and wages rose. But was that jobs creation figure an anomaly or the start of a trend? With the March jobs figure coming out Friday, what will economists be looking for?

Correction (April 4, 2019): The audio version of this story has been changed to correct David Shulman’s name.

Stories You Might Like

What the February jobs report means for the upcoming Fed meeting

Hiring surge adds 313,000 jobs in February

U.S. adds a modest 103,000 jobs in March, unemployment rate stays at 4.1 percent

Job creation soars in March

U.S. economy adds 49K jobs as unemployment falls to 6.3%

Hiring rebounds as U.S. employers add a solid 196,000 jobs

We’re here to help you navigate this changed world and economy.

Our mission at Marketplace is to raise the economic intelligence of the country. It’s a tough task, but it’s never been more important.

In the past year, we’ve seen record unemployment, stimulus bills, and reddit users influencing the stock market. Marketplace helps you understand it all, will fact-based, approachable, and unbiased reporting.

Generous support from listeners and readers is what powers our nonprofit news—and your donation today will help provide this essential service. For just $5/month, you can sustain independent journalism that keeps you and thousands of others informed.