Jobs, February | featured news

In yet another sign of a strengthening recovery, the United States added 227,000 net jobs in February, the third consecutive month of gains over 200,000. The unemployment rate was unchanged from 8.3 percent in January, the Labor Department reported Friday, as nearly a half million people who had been staying on the sidelines rejoined the search for work. The strong job growth numbers could bolster President Obama’s effort to make the case to voters that his economic policies are working.

The pace of job creation by private employers accelerated more than expected in February, a report by a payrolls processor showed on Wednesday.

The number of job openings rose at their fastest pace in almost seven years in February, according to a new report from the Labor Department.

U.S. stocks rose broadly, with investors encouraged by a government report that job losses were less than expected in February.

Economists had expected the snowstorms to have a bigger impact, but job losses were surprisingly mild in February as employers cut 36,000 jobs.

Americans' outlook on the economy went into relapse in February. Rising job worries sent a key barometer of confidence to its lowest point in 10 months.