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February Payrolls Surge To 295K, Smash Expectations Of 235K, Unemployment Rate Drops To 5.5%

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Well, a June rate hike it is, because despite all the talking down of the February NFP number which was supposed to be whacked due to snow, it just came out and it is a doozy at +295K, smashing expectations of 235K, and above the January 239K (revised lower from 239K). The household survey showed a weaker gain of only 96K, however this follows the whopping 759K addition in January.

The unemployment rate came in lower than expected as well, printing at 5.5%, versus the 5.6% expected and down from 5.7% last month, as a result of the participation rate dropping again from 62.9% to 62.8%.

But the number everyone was looking at this month, the change in average hourly earning, came in at 0.1%, once again missing expectations of 0.2%, and sliding from 0.5%. So much for winter storms boosting wages as Goldman speculated.

As the chart below showing average hourly earnings shows, the January surge in wages was a fluke, and the number rose by a tiny 3 cents in February to $25.78, an increase of just 2.0%, and far below the Fed's target of 4.0%

 

More from the report:

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 295,000 in February, compared with  an average monthly gain of 266,000 over the prior 12 months. Job gains occurred in food services and drinking places, professional and business services,  construction, health care, and in transportation and warehousing. Employment in mining declined over the month. (See table B-1.)

 

In February, food services and drinking places added 59,000 jobs. The industry had added an average of 35,000 jobs per month over the prior 12 months.

 

Employment in professional and business services increased by 51,000 in February and has risen by 660,000 over the year. In February, employment continued to trend up in management and technical consulting services (+7,000), computer systems design and related services (+5,000), and architectural and engineering services (+5,000).

 

Construction added 29,000 jobs in February. Employment in specialty trade contractors rose by 27,000, mostly in the residential component. Over the past 12 months, construction has added 321,000 jobs.

 

In February, employment in health care rose by 24,000, with gains in ambulatory care services (+20,000) and hospitals (+9,000). Health care had added an average of 29,000 jobs per month over the prior 12 months.

 

Transportation and warehousing added 19,000 jobs in February, with most of the gain occurring in couriers and messengers (+12,000). Employment in transportationand warehousing grew by an average of 14,000 per month over the prior 12 months.

 

Employment in retail trade continued to trend up in February (+32,000) and has grown by 319,000 over the year.

Manufacturing employment continued to trend up in February (+8,000). Within the industry, petroleum and coal products lost 6,000 jobs, largely due to a strike.

 

Employment in mining decreased by 9,000 in February, with most of the decline in support activities for mining (-7,000).

 

Employment in other major industries, including wholesale trade, information, financial activities, and government, showed little change over the month.

 

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Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:37 | 5860807 Shocker
Shocker's picture

We are still in a Recovery....Year 7

Layoff / Closing List: http://www.dailyjobcuts.com

.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:41 | 5860831 GetZeeGold
GetZeeGold's picture

 

 

Huh.....even with Obamacare and Amnesty?

 

I knew I shouldn't have used Common Core math!

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:44 | 5860844 MarketAnarchist
MarketAnarchist's picture

I always wonder if the the government just decides on a number and publishes it.

 

Then everyone gets all worked up as if it means anything.

I mean the 'economy' of the worlds most powerful nation is hanging by a thread on the word 'patient' in a 500 word memo.

Insane

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:48 | 5860872 SilverIsKing
SilverIsKing's picture

Raise rates? Lol

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:55 | 5860902 GetZeeGold
GetZeeGold's picture

 

 

I'd wait for the revisions first.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 15:12 | 5862267 Ian56
Ian56's picture
The US media lied about the job numbers again today - only 96,000 new jobs were created in February

The US media lied about the job numbers again today - only 96,000 new jobs were created in February not the 295,000 they claim.
This is a total disaster and means that real unemployment went up quite significantly.

A massive 354,000 people left the labor force in February.
Over 200,000 of these are because there are simply no decent jobs available.
Around 120,000 of these people are additional retirees.

Household Employment survey
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.a.htm

Establishment survey
This includes grossly inflated adjustments for the number of jobs created by new businesses less jobs lost due to closed businesses.
The media always use these false numbers because they are artificially adjusted to make the government look better.
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.b.htm

From the Establishment survey we can see that only 10% of new jobs created were in well paid "goods producing" sectors.
While around 90% were in poorly paid service sectors.
Which also helps explain why so many people simply gave up looking for work in February.
Why would you want to work as a burger flipper or shop assistant for minimum wage if that meant you had to pay for child care?

The ACTUAL (as opposed to fictitious) job creation number of 96,000 is also reflected in the new jobless claims numbers which have been on the rise recently.
There were 320,000 new claimants for the last week of February (versus expectations of know nothing economists of 295,000).

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:46 | 5860854 new game
new game's picture

on cue gold and silver dump. treasury dump as well. think i'll take a dump. stwaks to da moon. lovely day, awesome day...lol'g to da water closet...distant voice-honey get a roll of fiat..ha...

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:44 | 5860858 TeamDepends
TeamDepends's picture

This explains, with crystal clear lightning-rod reason, why PMs dropped 1%.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:47 | 5860868 new game
new game's picture

everything is soooo awesome, happy irrational exuberance personafidededed!

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:54 | 5860900 kaiserhoff
kaiserhoff's picture

Whew, what a relief.  The headline should read BY 295 K.  For a second there, I thought that many people were emplyed in February..., because that would be the King's English.

Thank gawd, I don't have an Ivy League education.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 11:04 | 5861211 Crash Overide
Crash Overide's picture

"February Payrolls Surge To 295K, Smash Expectations Of 235K, Unemployment Rate Drops To 5.5%"

"Americans Not In The Labor Force Rise To Record 92.9 Million As Participation Rate Declines Again"

 

Everything is awesome.

 

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:38 | 5860821 lordylord
lordylord's picture

The economy is so good they won't raise interest rates.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:41 | 5860838 SoilMyselfRotten
SoilMyselfRotten's picture

Must be a boost from all the snow removal companies out there

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:46 | 5860865 Ward cleaver
Ward cleaver's picture

Bingo. gov't CP has made the market boring.
I used to look forward to ZH but now everything
is so predictable that the real news doesn't matter.
Rev up the algo for an up day.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:51 | 5860887 Ward cleaver
Ward cleaver's picture

Tyler, when u reply to a comment, y does
it appear 8 messages down the board hence making
no sense?

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:59 | 5860927 kaiserhoff
kaiserhoff's picture

B cause U B posting on a cell,

  and shit happens;)

 

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:53 | 5860894 GeezerGeek
GeezerGeek's picture

The economy is so good that I no longer care about the illegal private email server used by our former Secretary of State. READY FOR HILLARY!

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 12:28 | 5861418 giovanni_f
giovanni_f's picture

Awesome numbers despite the snow. Without snow the payroll surge would have been mind-blowingly astronomical and unemployment rate would have gone even negative. In this case, the only way to drive the unemployment rate back to zero woukd be via unemployed immigrants. Now I understand why we need them.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:45 | 5860862 ANestIOS
ANestIOS's picture

bearish (perversly)

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:49 | 5860879 Stoploss
Stoploss's picture

Why is the labor force participation still falling along with unemployment nummers?

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:56 | 5860917 kaiserhoff
kaiserhoff's picture

Affirmative action maff.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:58 | 5860925 clade7
clade7's picture

'Boston Snow Shovelers' skewed the data..

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 10:01 | 5860940 rubiconsolutions
rubiconsolutions's picture

Can we ammend the constitution and give Obama a third term so he can get this all the way the way down to 0%?

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:41 | 5860809 LoneStarHog
LoneStarHog's picture

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!...This is totally beyond stupid.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:37 | 5860810 skbull44
skbull44's picture

295,000 and 5.5%....when things get serious-er...

http://olduvai.ca

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:38 | 5860812 SlipStitchPass
SlipStitchPass's picture

WHEN I GO TO SPAIN AND I SEE THE PEOPLE PARTY.......WHAT THE FUCK?

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:44 | 5860853 GetZeeGold
GetZeeGold's picture

 

 

It's all funded by Germany.......why the hell not?

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:51 | 5860885 blabam
blabam's picture

Plenty of people still have jobs and like to party.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 10:40 | 5861121 serotonindumptruck
serotonindumptruck's picture

That's known as the "I've got mine, fuck everyone else" attitude.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:38 | 5860815 NoIdea
NoIdea's picture

The dump in gold at exactly 1pm before any numbers were released just confirms the suspicion that it was going down whatever the number was

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:38 | 5860818 SirTaxedAlot
SirTaxedAlot's picture

Whoooohoooooo. Bartending and waitstaff jobs for everyone!

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:45 | 5860860 GetZeeGold
GetZeeGold's picture

 

 

Just keep it under 29.5 hr/wk......it's the law.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:38 | 5860819 BlueHen1990
BlueHen1990's picture

More bartenders, waiters, bellhops, and busboys. More young adults with biology or civil engineering degrees working in middle office white-collar desk jobs. The recovery chugs right along.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:39 | 5860825 overmedicatedun...
overmedicatedundersexed's picture

rejoyce the qe is working...may i have Moar please?

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:39 | 5860829 youngman
youngman's picture

Interesting....more jobs..less pay...the paying down of America...pay deflation...

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:39 | 5860830 dimwitted economist
dimwitted economist's picture

They have done it! Everyone wanting a job... now has one! thank you president obama! 

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:49 | 5860875 GetZeeGold
GetZeeGold's picture

 

 

Wait until Hillary or Jeb becomes President.....we'll get new everything.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:50 | 5860883 youngman
youngman's picture

You are right everyone WANTING a job..the problem is most of Obamas followers do not want a job...just free shit..

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:52 | 5860893 Kilgore Trout
Kilgore Trout's picture

Not yet. I don't want a job and I still have one.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:40 | 5860832 new game
new game's picture

doing what? really want to know wtf everyone is really doing?

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:43 | 5860850 overmedicatedun...
overmedicatedundersexed's picture

loosey sales hit new all time high, street salesmen needed, no benefits but also no taxes, apply at your local bodega, gang membership required

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:41 | 5860834 NDXTrader
NDXTrader's picture

Hahahaha! Let's not forget that these numbers are from surveys collected by Obama appointees - or simply filled out by them

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:48 | 5860871 Rainman
Rainman's picture

you mean Shitcago's very own Penny Pritzker, Secy. of Commerce and head swami of the number crunchers... ?

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:41 | 5860835 thatthingcanfly
thatthingcanfly's picture

And cue the gold and silver smackdown.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:43 | 5860846 Serfs Up
Serfs Up's picture

Well, at least "they" waited until 8:30:00:01 this time.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:41 | 5860837 GMadScientist
GMadScientist's picture

Meanwhile, actual aggregate income levels...

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:41 | 5860840 jdtexas
jdtexas's picture

And all those suckers that got a sub-prime auto loan......house-O-cards

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:43 | 5860841 thismarketisrigged
thismarketisrigged's picture

295,000, how sad that is what is considered a strong number these days.

 

pre 08-09, we were doing 400,000 consistnetly, but now in obozos shitty economy, 295,000 is considered a golden age.

 

cant wait to see how many waiters, waitresses, bartenders,  etc were created

 

o ya , and dont worry, the may jobs report will prob be reported as awful just so the fed has another excuse not to raise rates, because u know there is 0 chance they do so ever.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:42 | 5860842 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

  The clowns on the blowhorn are talking about upwards GDP revisions now. You can't make this shit up. I hope they do raise rates in June. Another nice "full retard" revison of the numbers from last week . 237k from 267. Liesman called it slight. lol

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:45 | 5860863 NDXTrader
NDXTrader's picture

It's disgusting - they are leading the lemmings off the cliff for the 3rd time in 15 years with no shame. Headline today on CNBC.com "Greenspan Says Stocks Are NOT Overvalued" - Eh, what?! He said the exact opposite

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:48 | 5860874 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

 I watched the Greenspam interview realtime and was supprised how candid he was about over valuations and leverage. He obviously thinks everything is a huge bubble again.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 10:29 | 5861073 Arnold
Arnold's picture

See you in September.....................

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:43 | 5860847 surf0766
surf0766's picture

Dow 20,000 on communist job creation. Here you dig the hole..and you,.. fill this hole in. Don't forget yo grab your ebt, and keys to Obummercar on the way out

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:43 | 5860852 Captain Chlamydia
Captain Chlamydia's picture

Print MOAR! 

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:44 | 5860856 stateside
stateside's picture

Cool......now I'll get my Jack in 10 seconds instead of 30 seconds from the bar guys.  Booyahhhh!

 

stateside

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:45 | 5860859 Agent P
Agent P's picture

Really?  Is there an election next week or something? 

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:46 | 5860867 yogibear
yogibear's picture

Greenspan has come out to try and take some air out of the stock market.

He also knows it's in a bubble.

 

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:50 | 5860878 lordbyroniv
lordbyroniv's picture

Screaming Vikings for everyone !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 10:28 | 5861068 Agent P
Agent P's picture

You want your cucumber bruised? 

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:52 | 5860881 kill switch
kill switch's picture

The real unemployment rate is ….DRUM ROLL....24.5% Shadow Stats

 

http://www.shadowstats.com/alternate_data/unemployment-charts

 

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:51 | 5860884 Goldbugger
Goldbugger's picture

Meanwhile Food Stamp recipients are at 46,029,429.  Rock on with the stock market.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:56 | 5860888 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

  Those fuckers have no shame. They were bragging about 3mm jobs being created last year. Yeah 3mm shoeshine boys. Yeah 1mm people each got 3 1/2 jobs so they could pay for their Kibble and asswipes.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:52 | 5860889 heisenberg991
heisenberg991's picture

All retail jobs, who the da fukk is spending their money when all the jobs pay nothing.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:53 | 5860896 youngman
youngman's picture

To me it will be interesting on what words the Fed will use now to NOT raise the rates...they need to find something for an excuse....

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:58 | 5860923 Niall Of The Ni...
Niall Of The Nine Hostages's picture

Snow.

That and the rising dollar, which can't be doing exports any good. They'll think of something.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:55 | 5860904 Quinvarius
Quinvarius's picture

Shitty low pay service and part time jobs don't matter in the economy. 

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:55 | 5860912 agNau
agNau's picture

Setup "totalement!"
This is better than W's economy. Our recovery is the envy of the world.

"They hate us because of our low unemployment and success! That is why they attacked us and destroyed our recovery."
"Some folks were jealous."

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:59 | 5860931 XRAYD
XRAYD's picture

Many excuses and reasons, real or imagined, lie on the road to June - to justify being patient (or something) and remain data dependent. Free money for banks is good for ever.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 10:00 | 5860938 KansasCrude
KansasCrude's picture

Folks just face it the bigger the shithole becomes the bigger the compensating lies.....did anyone believe that they could get this desperate and that the lies they are spewing could get so much bigger.  No metric on the state tax revenues even remotely support this total B.S.! 

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 17:44 | 5862859 LooseLee
LooseLee's picture

Desperate? They just added AAPL to the DOW. Now that is what I call desperate! Something wicked this way comes....

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 10:07 | 5860972 SoDamnMad
SoDamnMad's picture

All those oil drillers got jobs at McDonalds.     winning  Must mean the parking lots will be filled with new shiney trucks.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 10:41 | 5861021 db51
db51's picture

I have three  employees on my 1,100 acre farming operation...1 full time and 2 part time  Corn and Soybean Prices are 1/2 2010 levels.....losses are mounting - just planting a crop means bleeding red ink.....I pink slipped all three and attempt to do it all myself by changing crop rotations.  I'm 59 and my wife is a teacher...retired last year...so she's going in a tractor.    Layoffs around here on all fronts in rural America....Small business owners assholes are puckering big time.....Ace Hardware, Local NAPA, several auito repair stores and retailers say they are having the worst year ever...and 2014 sucked ass as well.  We're living in fantasyland now....there is no reality.

Who in the fuck is buying all of this high priced new cars and trucks? ....Who can afford it?    Finance a vehicle for 84 months, drive it off the lot and lose half your "equity" in 3 miles.  We've gone totally fucking insane.   Don't believe anything Buffet Fucker says about John Deere stick...That shit is getting ready for a major plunge.    Dealers here sitting with lots FuLL of new and used equipment with NO BUYERS!   I'd say conservatively that their multi-million dollar floor plans financed through banks and John Deere Credit have lost half of their value.

Shitstorm is coming....make no mistake about it.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 11:39 | 5861355 jerry_theking_lawler
jerry_theking_lawler's picture

This is 'non-farm' payroll. Everything is skittles (from a unicorns ass) and pixie dust in this category. It's all good. -NOT

 

I know how they make up these numbers. I have an 18 y/o nephew who got a part time job in December. He then got another part time job in February and just last week another part time job. I'm certain the .gov is counting all 3 of these....and if so, the numbers are complete hog-wash. Oh yeah, these were all in the food service/waiter category.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 17:49 | 5862878 LooseLee
LooseLee's picture

Bloomturd radio keeps bringing on 'analysts' that say the growth is now in domestic small business (due to dollar strength affecting large int'nl corporates) and that is why the RUS is at ATH's and will be going higher. An honest and sane person couldn't make this stuff up! Your anecdotal 'boots on the ground' analysis is surely more in line with reality than what the boot-licking propagandizing MSM peddles. Hope things improve for you...

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 10:40 | 5861115 Mike Honcho
Mike Honcho's picture

Everything is superb!.....until I read the workforce participation article at the top of ZH.

Fri, 03/06/2015 - 13:55 | 5861926 orangegeek
orangegeek's picture

295K jobs, Dow down 200.

 

FUCK YA!!!

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