U.S. February Non-Farm Payrolls Cool Down but Not Yet Slowing Down; Fed Rate Cuts May Be a Luxury Amid War Clouds

SmartContractAuditor · 2026-03-06T13:41:57+00:00

U.S. February job growth may cool down, with non-farm employment expected to increase by only 59,000, and the unemployment rate remaining at 4.3%. Hiring in the healthcare industry is returning to normal, and strikes by healthcare workers in California and Hawaii may also impact the data. The Federal Reserve may not rush to cut interest rates.

SmartContractAuditor

2026-03-06 13:41:57

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Odaily Planet Daily reports that with the surge in healthcare industry hiring in January expected to return to normal, U.S. employment growth in February may have cooled down, but the unemployment rate is expected to remain steady at 4.3%.

The Department of Labor will release this highly anticipated employment report later, which may show signs of a stabilizing labor market. Previously in 2025, due to the uncertainty caused by former President Trump’s comprehensive tariff policies, the labor market was once sluggish. This will further reinforce economists’ view that the Federal Reserve is not in a hurry to cut interest rates, especially as the threat of Middle Eastern conflicts intensifies inflation. Economists forecast that after adding 130,000 jobs in January, non-farm employment last month may have increased by only 59,000. The forecast range varies from a decrease of 9,000 to an increase of 125,000. In addition to the cooldown in the healthcare sector, a strike by 31,000 healthcare workers in California and Hawaii may also weigh on employment data. (Jin10)

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