January jobs report beats expectations

The January jobs report showed stronger‑than‑expected growth, with employers adding 130,000 jobs and the unemployment rate edging down to 4.3%. Despite the improvement, Bankrate’s Mark Hamrick says job seekers should approach the market with “cautious optimism,” noting that hiring is taking longer and job openings now trail the number of unemployed workers. He adds that some of January’s gains may reflect seasonal factors following the holidays and winter weather.