US added 130,000 jobs in January, surpassing expectations as 2025 growth is slashed

Unemployment rate was 4.3% in January with gains 13,000 less than the 143,000 jobs added a year ago, report shows

The US jobs market added 130,000 jobs in January, according to a highly anticipated labor market report released on Wednesday, a surge of job growth after months of fatigue in the labor market.

The unemployment rate was 4.3% in January, a slight cooling since the fall. Economists predicted 70,000 in job gains and an unchanged unemployment rate for January.