The U.S. economy shed 92,000 jobs in February, the estimated March 6, falling far short of forecasters' expectations, and signaling the labor market is still in low-hire mode as employers navigate tariff-related inflation pressures, AI adoption, and geopolitical uncertainty.
The February estimate comes in much lower than the BLS’ now-revised gain of 126,000 jobs added in January, which was much higher than the agency’s revised figures for 2025, when U.S. employers added only 181,000 jobs throughout the entire year, or about 15,000 a month.
“The weak jobs report challenges the recent stabilization narrative and puts the Fed in a difficult position, especially as the spike in oil prices adds near‑term inflation pressure,” Angelo Kourkafas, Senior Global Strategist at Edward Jones, said in a note to USA TODAY, adding that economists should avoid over-extrapolating the trend given weather and labor disruptions' potential impact on hiring in February.
He added, “however, with global geopolitical uncertainty elevated, it is reasonable to expect that job growth may remain subdued in the months ahead.”
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