US economy adds 304,000 jobs in January
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The US economy added a stronger-than-expected 304,000 jobs in January, official figures have shown.
The figure was far in excess of economists’ forecasts of 165,000.
However, December’s jobs growth figure was revised to 222,000, down from an initial estimate of 312,000.
Last month saw jobs being added in leisure and hospitality, construction, health care, transportation and warehousing, according to the US Department of Labor.
The numbers exclude farm work, which is seasonal and often volatile.
Growth of 100,000 jobs per month is required in the US to keep pace with growth in the working-age population.