Labor Market Shock: US Economy Lost 92,000 Jobs Last Month

The U.S. economy lost 92,000 nonfarm payrolls in February 2026, according to data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The figure marked a sharp slowdown from January’s downwardly revised 126,000 job gains and came well below economists’ expectations of 59,000.

The unemployment rate surprisingly ticked up from 4.3% to 4.4%, above forecasts of 4.3%.

Meanwhile, average hourly earnings rose 0.4% month-over-month, matching January’s pace and topping consensus estimates of 0.3%.

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Originally Posted March 6, 2026 – Labor Market Shock: US Economy Lost 92,000 Jobs Last Month

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