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US Jobs Surge: January Adds 130K, But Weakest Year Since Pandemic
11 Feb
Summary
- January saw 130,000 jobs added, exceeding expectations but falling short of last year's figures.
- The unemployment rate stood at 4.3% in January, a slight decrease from the autumn.
- Layoffs in January 2026 surged 118% compared to the previous year, reaching the highest since 2009.
In January 2026, the US economy saw a boost with the addition of 130,000 jobs, surpassing economist predictions of 70,000. This brought the unemployment rate to 4.3%, indicating a slight cooling from earlier in the fall. Despite this monthly increase, job gains were 13,000 less than those recorded in January 2025.
However, the report also revised 2025's total job growth significantly downwards to 181,000, the lowest figure since the pandemic. This marked a stark contrast to the 2 million jobs added in 2024. Compounding concerns, US employers announced 108,435 layoffs in January 2026, an alarming 118% increase from the year prior and the highest for the start of a year since 2009.
