U.S. employers added a better-than-expected 130,000 jobs in January, according to a Labor Department report released on Wednesday, though hiring in 2025 was weaker than initially reported. The unemployment rate dipped to 4.3%. This positive news, however, comes amid a concerning trend of a declining share of economic gains for workers, as corporate profits continue to rise, according to multiple sources.
The January jobs report, as highlighted by NPR News, offered a glimmer of hope after a challenging year. However, the report also revised down employment gains for November and December by a total of 17,000 jobs. The report is an annual update from the Labor Department.
Meanwhile, a long-term shift in the distribution of economic gains continues to raise concerns. According to U.S. Commerce Department data, as noted by Fortune, the share of gross domestic income going to employee wages and benefits fell to 51.4% in the third quarter of 2025, down from 58% in 1980. Over the same period, corporate profits increased, reaching nearly 12% of the share of gross domestic income in the third quarter, up from 6%. This trend, as calculated by Axios, suggests a decline in wages.
The changing economic landscape is also being shaped by other factors. Vox reported on the growing threat of artificial intelligence to white-collar jobs, suggesting that workers may become more replaceable.
In other news, President Donald Trump, despite winning the 2024 election, continues to focus on the 2020 election results, according to Vox. His director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, has reportedly spent months seeking evidence that the 2020 election was stolen.
In a separate piece, Vox also highlighted an alternative approach to mental health, pointing to the benefits of group therapy. The article described how group therapy harnesses the power of numbers, allowing individuals to share their experiences and analyze their lives together.
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