Economists had been expecting an overall healthy reading, with 169,000 net new jobs created in the month and the unemployment rate holding steady at 4.1%. The January report, which effectively closes the book on the Biden-era job market,

U.S. employers added just 143,000 jobs last month, but the jobless rate slipped to 4% to start 2025 and the government revised November and December payrolls higher. The first job report of Donald Trump’s second presidency on Friday suggested that he inherited a labor market that is solid but unspectacular.

Annual revisions to jobs data and disruptions related to the catastrophic Los Angeles fires and severe winter storms are likely to be reasons behind the slump in job gains.

Employers added 143,000 jobs in January amid LA wildfires, cold weather and uncertainty over President Trump's trade and immigration policies.

The gain in jobs was lower than expected, but the job counts for November and December were revised upward by a combined 100,000.

January job growth in the United States in January dropped drastically from December numbers and fell short of analysts' expectations according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report released Friday.

U.S. job growth slowed more than expected in January after robust gains in the prior two months, but a 4.0% unemployment rate probably will give the Federal Reserve cover to hold off cutting interest rates at least until June.