U.S. gains 313,000 jobs; unemployment rate holds steady

WASHINGTON — U.S. nonfarm payroll employment rose in February by 313,000 jobs, the largest monthly gain in more than 18 months, according to the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

The February unemployment rate stayed at 4.1 percent, according to the BLS report issued March 9.

The largest job gains for the month were in construction (61,000 jobs), retail trade (50,000 jobs), professional and business service (50,000 jobs) and manufacturing (31,000 jobs), according to the report.

Wholesale trade, transportation/warehousing and information saw little change in February, it said.

On March 7, payroll services firm ADP Inc. issued its monthly employment report, stating that nonfarm payroll employment rose by 235,000 jobs in February.

Medium-sized businesses (50 to 499 employees) saw the largest gains during the month, with 97,000 jobs, according to the report. Large businesses (500 or more employees) gained 70,000 jobs, and small businesses (one to 49 employees) 66,000 jobs, it said. (ADP job totals don't always add up because of rounding, the company said.)

According to ADP, construction rose by 21,000 jobs and manufacturing by 14,000 jobs. The biggest gains were in leisure/hospitality (50,000 jobs), professional/business services (46,000 jobs), trade/transportation/utilities (44,000 jobs) and education/health services (43,000 jobs), the report said.

Franchise employment rose by 24,700 jobs in February, including 1,500 in auto parts and dealers, according to ADP.

Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), chose the rise in manufacturing employment as an opportunity to celebrate President Trump's March 8 issuance of an order raising tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

"With the economy growing, manufacturing on the upswing and businesses flush with cash from the tax cut, there's never been a better time to level the playing field for our steel communities," Mr. Paul said.

"With 31,000 manufacturing jobs added in February, and more on the way in places like Granite City, Ill., and Hawesville, Ky., I'm very optimistic about the benefits of the tariffs," he said.

U.S. Steel plans to hire roughly 500 workers at a plant in Granite City, and another 300 at the Century Aluminum facility in Hawesville, the AAM said.