#USNFPBlowout
US Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP) blew out expectations, adding 130,000 jobs in January 2026, double the forecast of 68,000. The unemployment rate also dropped to 4.3%, down 10 basis points. Key sectors driving growth include:
- *Healthcare*: 82,000 new jobs, particularly in ambulatory health care services (50,000)
- *Social Assistance*: 42,000 jobs
- *Construction*: 33,000 jobs, mainly in non-residential construction
However, the government sector shed 34,000 jobs, and financial services lost 22,000 jobs. The labor force participation rate rose slightly to 62.5% .