U.S. employers added 243,000 jobs to nonfarm payrolls in Feburary, the biggest gain in three months. However, the U.S. jobless rate edged higher as more job seekers flowed back into the market.

The U.S. Labor Department said that the unemployment rate rose to 4.8% in February from 4.7% in January.

Average hourly earnings rose five cents, or 0.3%, to US$16.47. In annual terms, wages increased 3.5%, the biggest pick-up since September 2001. The average work week fell 0.1 hour to 33.7 hours.

Job creation in previous months was revised. Nonfarm payrolls rose by 170,000 in January and 145,000 in December. Previous estimates showed a 193,000-job increase in January and a 140,000 gain in December. Over the last 12 months, 2.1 million nonfarm jobs were created.


Hiring in goods-producing industries rose by 45,000 in Feburary. The manufacturing sector decreased payrolls by 1,000 after adding 7,000 the month before. The construction sector added 41,000 jobs last month and 346,000 over the past 12 months. Service-sector employment went up by 198,000. Retail payrolls rose by 6,700. Business and professional services companies added 39,000 jobs to payrolls, while education and health services added 47,000.

Separately, wholesalers’ inventories increased by 0.1% in January to a seasonally adjusted US$362.81 billion, the U.S. Commerce Department said today. Wholesale sales rose by 1.0% to a seasonally adjusted US$318.63 billion.