wingedwolf/iStock(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. economy added a higher-than-expected 225,000 jobs in January, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Friday. The unemployment rate rose by a fraction of a percentage point to 3.6%, above the former 50-year low of 3.5%.Notable job gains for January occurred in the fields of construction (which added 44,000 jobs), health care (which saw an increase of 36,000 jobs) and transportation and warehousing (which saw an uptick of 106,000 jobs), according to the data. Meanwhile, manufacturing lost 12,000 jobs in January and motor vehicles and parts lost 11,000 jobs. The average hourly earnings rose by 7 cents to $28.44 last month, a 3.1% increase from this time last year. Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
