Washington, DC, February 4--The unemployment rate dropped to 5.2% in January, from 5.4% in December, as payrolls grew by 146,000 during the month, verses a downwardly revised 133,000 increase in December, according to the Labor Department.
Labor Department revisions showed that 29,000 fewer jobs were created in December and November than earlier reported.
Economists were expecting the jobless rate to stay at 5.4% in January and for 200,000 jobs to be added during the month.
The manufacturing sector saw jobs decline by 25,000 in January. In the service sector 177,000 jobs were added. Jobs in retail jobs grew by 19,000. The construction industry saw jobs decline by 9,000.
Average hourly earnings rose three cents to $15.88 in January. The increase in year-on-year terms was 2.6%. The average work-week fell 6 minutes to 33.7 hours.
