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February Jobs Report Shocks Markets: Payrolls Shed 92,000, Unemployment Rises to 4.4%

The U.S. economy unexpectedly shed 92,000 jobs in February, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday, far worse than the consensus estimate for a gain of 50,000 to 60,000 and marking the third payroll contraction in five months. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.4%, while average hourly earnings surprised to the upside, presenting the Federal Reserve with a stagflationary dilemma at the worst possible moment.

ADP Report: Private Payrolls Rise 63,000 in February, Beating Estimates but Revealing Narrow Job Growth

The ADP National Employment Report released Wednesday showed U.S. private employers added 63,000 jobs in February, topping consensus estimates of 50,000 and improving from a downwardly revised 11,000 in January. However, gains were concentrated almost entirely in construction and education and health services, with professional and business services shedding 30,000 positions, raising questions about underlying labor market breadth ahead of Friday's official nonfarm payrolls report.