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Construction and specialty trades continue to grow jobs

3/9/2018
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 313,000 in February, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.1%, according to the latest report issued this morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Construction employment increased by 61,000 jobs last month, with specialty trade contractors growing by 38,000 positions and construction of buildings growing by 16,000. Construction has added 185,000 jobs over the past 4 months, according to the bureau.

Retail employment increased by 50,000 over the month with general merchandise stores adding 18,000 jobs and clothing and accessories increasing by 15,000.

Building material and garden supply stores added 10,000 jobs in February.

Although employment in other major industries, including wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, information, leisure and hospitality, and government, showed little change over the month, U.S. manufacturing added 31,000 jobs in February.

With the unemployment rate at 4.1%, this marked the fifth straight month the number has remained unchanged while unemployment stood at 6.7 million.
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