Job growth in the United States strengthened considerably in the first month of 2026.
130,000 jobs were added in January, according to a Wednesday report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Economists’ forecasts had been for 70,000 jobs added, compared to growth of 48,000 jobs in December.
The unemployment rate fell to 4.3% compared to the expected 4.4% and 4.4% in December.
Bitcoin traded in a tight range near $69,000 for much of the week. had fallen back to the $67,000 area in the hours leading up to the report. Immediately after the strong data, bitcoin rose to $67,500, although it was still down 2% in the last 24 hours.
US stock index futures continue modest gains, with the Nasdaq 100 up 0.55% and the S&P 500 up 0.5%. Earlier in the day, the dollar rose in the session and the 10-year US Treasury yield rose five basis points to 4.20%.
Having cut rates several times in the second half of 2025, the Federal Reserve kept policy steady at its January meeting and members showed little inclination to resume rate cuts at the bank’s next meeting in March.
Before this morning’s jobs numbers, interest rate traders were placing just a 21% chance of an easing in March, according to CME FedWatch. Just after the report, those chances had fallen to 19%.
