Employment in the U.S. unexpectedly decreased in the month of February, according to a closely watched report released by the Labor Department on Friday.
The report said non-farm payroll employment slumped by 92,000 jobs in February after jumping by a downwardly revised 126,000 jobs in January.
Economists had expected employment to increase by 60,000 jobs compared to the addition of 130,000 jobs originally reported for the previous month.
The Labor Department also said the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.4 percent in February from 4.3 percent in January, in line with economist estimates.
A separate report released by the Commerce Department on Friday showed a modest decrease by retail sales in the U.S. in the month of January.
The Commerce Department said retail sales dipped by 0.2 percent in January after coming in unchanged in December. Economists had expected retail sales to decrease by 0.4 percent.
Excluding sales by motor vehicles and parts dealers, retail sales remained flat in January after coming in unchanged in in December. Ex-auto sales were expected to inch up by 0.1 percent.
At 10 am ET, the Commerce Department is scheduled to release its report on business inventories in the month of December. Business inventories are expected to inch up by 0.1 percent.
Cleveland Federal Reserve President Beth Hammack is due to participate in a panel discussion “On the Safe-haven Status of the Dollar” before the 2026 U.S. Monetary Policy Forum sponsored by the University of Chicago Booth School of Business at 1:30 pm ET.
At 3 pm ET, the Federal Reserve is scheduled to release its report on consumer credit in the month of January. Consumer credit is expected to increase by $11.1 billion.