Marketplace Here's what we learned from the January jobs report
19 snips
Feb 11, 2026 Guest
Rita Magaldi
Guest
Ashley Ayala
Guest
Justin Ho (Justin Howe in transcript segments)
Guest
Samantha Fields
Rita Magaldi, bakery owner in Salt Lake City, on holiday kiosk sales, small-business challenges, and Valentine's plans. Ashley Ayala, recent homebuyer near Austin, on buying with a friend and navigating mortgages. Justin Ho, economics reporter, on wage growth and immigration’s impact on labor supply. Samantha Fields, reporter, on what the January jobs numbers mask about sector hiring.
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January Jobs Look Stronger But Uncertain
- The January jobs report showed 130,000 jobs added and a slight drop in unemployment, signaling a firmer-than-recent labor market.
- Heidi Shearholz and Layla O'Kane caution this could be either strengthening or just volatile data, so it's a wait-and-see moment.
Hiring Is Uneven Across Sectors
- Job growth remains concentrated in health care and social assistance, leaving most sectors with muted hiring.
- Andrew Stettner notes that the slower hiring and higher unemployment versus a year ago make people feel the market isn't great.
Wage Growth Stabilizes Amid Weaker Hiring
- Wages rose 3.7% year-over-year in January but that pace is the weakest in about 18 months.
- Economists say slower wage growth reflects a softer labor market balanced partly by reduced labor supply from tighter immigration.