Jobs report shocks with unexpected loss of 92,000 jobs in February as unemployment rate rises

Yahoo Finance ^ | March 6, 2026 | Emma Ockerman

[lasereye]

The US economy lost 92,000 jobs in February, Labor Department data released Friday showed, sharply missing economists' expectations and stalling the nascent hiring growth that started the year.

The unemployment rate edged up to 4.4%, while the share of people who have been without work for 27 weeks or more as a percentage of all unemployed hit 25.3%.

Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had anticipated 55,000 new positions after January's surprise print of 130,000 payrolls. Those gains were also revised lower by 4,000 positions, while December's previously reported addition of 48,000 jobs was updated to a loss of 17,000 — a combined culling of 69,000 roles from the last two employment reports.

Guy Berger, director of economic research at the Burning Glass Institute, dubbed February's data an "ugly report."

"Big decline in nonfarm employment, a jump in the unemployment rate," Berger wrote on X. "A win for 'Team Doomer', a whiff for 'Team Reacceleration.'"

Healthcare, the one sector that has been gaining amid otherwise stagnant job growth, saw job losses of 28,000 in February amid strike activity, the Labor Department said. Shruti Mishra, an economist at Bank of America Securities, had noted in a research report previewing the jobs data that a massive strike among Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers in California and Hawaii could weigh on February’s payroll growth, since 31,000 employees walked off the job.

The whiplash of February's report underscores just how reliant the US economy has become on the healthcare and social assistance sector as an engine for job growth. Indeed, social assistance — which includes home and personal care aides — was one of the few bright spots in last month's data, gaining 9,000 roles.

---

TOPICS: Business/Economy; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 14millionbidenjobs; economy; jobs; jobsreport; trumpeconomy; trumpenomics

[lasereye]

Some unhinged low-IQ types who were very focused on the unexpectedly good January jobs number (which was much better than most of the numbers throughout 2025) will question why I'm posting this. After all, it's a government statistic they'll say. Totally unreliable.

[ChessExpert]

Thanks for posting. These days I like to read about the native-born population. Illegals leaving the job market is a separate topic.

[donozark]

And yet, in spite of this report the 10 year bond didn’t have much of a response.

[Skywise]

While you’re here trolling, would you mind donating some of your hard earned trolling money to free republic to keep the lights on here and so you can keep your job? K-thx!

https://freerepublic.com/donate/

[OHPatriot]

Notice this from the article, “Healthcare, the one sector that has been gaining amid otherwise stagnant job growth, saw job losses of 28,000 in February.”

I bet this “job loss” is directly related the shutdown of all the Somali “Learing Centers” and Somali home medical care.

[ridesthemiles]

THE MORE EVERYONE EMBRACES AI, THE MORE JOB LOSSES WILL OCCUR.

AI IS THE “NEW SHINY THING”.

[butlerweave]

Well the EV bubble EXPLODED ,LOL

[Frank Drebin]

Here we go...the second of a hundred posts to come on this by the usual suspects...and if you question it, you’re a low-IQ moron? That’s your pitch? Get lost troll.

[thegagline]

Some unhinged low-IQ types who were very focused on the unexpectedly good January jobs number (which was much better than most of the numbers throughout 2025) will question why I'm posting this. After all, it's a government statistic they'll say. Totally unreliable.

Facts and logic will not be tolerated by the idolaters.

[Miami Rebel]

Jobs were lost.

Period.

If illegals lost jobs, you’d figure Americans would’ve picked up the slack. They didn’t.

The number was a disaster, and at the same time inflation is going up: the price of gasoline has increased 58% since January 1.

[DFG]

“Data shows foreign born workers have lost 519,000 jobs over the last year, while native born workers have gained 128k jobs.

Additionally, federal government employment decreased by 10K in February, and is down by 330K, or 11%, since reaching a peak in October 2024.”

https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2029929265844687349

[ConservativeMind]

There were definite layoffs from the Tech sector.

That’s why we need so many more H-1Bs. /sarcasm

[spintreebob]

Well said.

The cup is half full, half empty. If the economy was “too strong” the interest rates would go up and all kinds of terrible things would happen. If the economy was “too weak” easy money would chase bad decisions.

When the cup is half full what does it mean? That we drank half? Or that only 1/2 was poured in? Or that nobody is drinking that slop?

Let’s continue to cherry pick whatever helps our agenda?

[Alberta's Child]

I read reports like this in a detached manner.

I just had a senior executive from my biggest client give a company-wide update on the company's 2025 performance last week. The numbers were generally good compared to 2024, but they did miss most of their 2025 targets.

They actually have a very large backlog of work, but the biggest obstacle they're facing is a lack of adequate staff to do the work.

[ChessExpert]

“If illegals lost jobs, you’d figure Americans would’ve picked up the slack.”

You’d figure, not me.

Economic adjustment takes time. How would we replace illegal immigrants who pick lettuce and sweet potatoes by hand? Probably through Americans using equipment. Ideally, that equipment is manufactured in the US. While some adjustment might happen overnight, some adjustment will take time.

[ChessExpert]

Thanks. All relevant.

The devil (or angel) is in the details.

[Frank Drebin]

Perhaps AI has replaced those illegals' jobs? I hear it's going to take over the world. Maybe they worked for the Learing Center and its 30,000 partner companies at an office park in a run down part of Minneapolis that is being investigated for fraud. Or perhaps those numbers are fantasy anyway.

I mean, if they're illegal, I doubt they're reporting their status and where they work and live. After all, they're illegal, breaking the law, but I'm sure businesses report all of their illegal workers with regularity and full transparency.

The gas price spike you're touting also happened within the last few days and you know it. These trends tend to occur when people and places start blowing up in the peaceful Middle East.

[Crusher138]

From a small business perspective...

Our sales are up 20% so far this year. We were up 7% for all of last year.

Some of the wage pressure seems to have let up. We no longer have applicants requesting $20 to $25 an hour to start at a low skill position. We just hired an overqualified employee at $14 an hour because she likes what we do and is retired and looking for something to do.

Wholesale prices took a big jump in January, but we are already seeing “specials” that roll back the prices to 2025 levels.

Lenders are becoming pesky. We are approached at least three times a day by someone trying to lend us capital.

Rent jumped up 10% at the beginning of the year, but that was the first increase in over 10 years, so hardly unexpected.

All in all I would say we are cautiously optimistic for the remainder of 2025.

[Vaduz]

Of the 92,000 jobs cut any data on how many are AI related.

Oh wait it’s TDS related never mind.

[Agatsu77]

All those people told to learn to code loosing out to AI?