The U.S. unemployment rate slipped to 4.3 % in January, down from 4.4 % in December, according to the Department of Labor in Washington. The number of people on unemployment benefits fell from 7.5 million to 7.4 million during the same period.
In January, employers created roughly 130 000 new jobs outside of agriculture. Employment grew in health care, social assistance and construction, while workers were cut in the public sector and in finance. Long‑term unemployment stood at 1.8 million, a modest decline from 1.9 million in December.
These labor‑market figures are closely watched by investors worldwide. A strong job market combined with high inflation tends to make rate cuts less likely-an outcome that could lift equities, making savings accounts less attractive and giving businesses cheaper access to credit.