U.S. Added 353K Jobs in January, Blowing Past Estimates

Labor market strength continued in a big way in January, with the U.S. adding 353,000 jobs versus economist forecasts for 180,000 and against December’s 333,000 (revised from an originally reported 216,000), according to the government’s nonfarm payrolls report released Friday morning. The unemployment rate held steady at 3.7% versus expectations for a rise to 3.8%.