US Economy Adds 285,000 Jobs in February, Beating Expectations
Strong labor market data complicates Fed's rate cut timeline as unemployment falls to 3.6%.
The US economy added 285,000 jobs in February, significantly exceeding economist expectations of 180,000 and demonstrating continued labor market resilience.
The unemployment rate fell to 3.6%, while wage growth remained elevated at 4.5% year-over-year. The strong data complicates the Federal Reserve's plans to begin cutting interest rates.
"This is a Goldilocks report in many ways," said a chief economist. "Strong job growth with inflation cooling suggests the soft landing scenario remains intact."
Markets reacted with volatility as traders reassessed rate cut expectations. Bond yields rose while stocks initially dipped before recovering.
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