Employers across the U.S. added 130,000 jobs in January, exceeding economists' expectations and signaling a resilient labor market, according to a report released Wednesday. The gain, the highest since July 2025, pushed the unemployment rate down to 4.3 percent, potentially influencing the Federal Reserve's decisions on interest rate cuts, as reported by the NY Times.
The January employment figures, which surpassed the 75,000 jobs forecast by economists polled by FactSet, saw the strongest hiring in the health care sector, which added 82,000 jobs, representing 60% of new jobs in January, followed by social assistance with 42,000 payroll gains, according to CBS News. The construction industry also saw robust gains, adding 33,000 jobs, likely reflecting demand from data centers, experts noted. However, the federal government and financial activities shed jobs.
The easing unemployment rate has become a focal point for the Fed as it assesses the health of the labor market. The strong jobs growth has pushed back expectations about when the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates again, suggesting the central bank is poised for an extended pause, the NY Times reported.
In other news, former CNN host Don Lemon has hired Joe Thompson, an ex-Trump appointee and former prosecutor, to his legal team. Thompson, who resigned from the U.S. Attorney's Office in January, was the lead prosecutor in the massive $250 million Feeding Our Future food fraud case tied to Minnesota's Somali community, according to Fox News. Lemon is facing charges related to his participation in an anti-ICE protest.
Meanwhile, in Madagascar, at least 20 people died after Cyclone Gezani struck the island, hitting the main port of Toamasina, according to BBC World. The disaster management office reported "total chaos," with houses collapsing, neighborhoods plunged into darkness, and trees uprooted. The cyclone's landfall is likely to have been one of the most intense recorded around the city.
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