February’s unemployment rate of 5.5 percent, as well as the
number of unemployed persons -- 8.7 million -- edged down for the
month. So far for 2015, the
unemployment rate and the number of
unemployed persons are down by 1.2 percentage points and 1.7 million
people, respectively, the report found.
February’s numbers marked the 12th straight month the
economy has added more than 200,000 jobs, the longest such stretch since
1994.
U.S. Unemployment Rate & Newly Employed | StartClass
The numbers also beat forecasts for the jobless rate, which
was predicted to fall one-tenth of a percentage point to 5.6 percent,
according to analysts interviewed by Reuters.
Those numbers pushed higher despite cold and snow that blanketed much
of the country in February. But the adverse conditions set in after the
government surveyed employers, economists said.
The number of long-term unemployed, or individuals who have
been without a job for 27 weeks or more, was little changed at 2.7
million in February. These individuals accounted for 31.1 percent of
those unemployed, BLS reported, adding that over the past four quarters,
the number of long-term unemployed has decreased by 1.1 million.
The civilian labor force participation rate was little changed at
62.8 percent in February and has remained within a narrow range of 62.7
to 62.9 percent since April 2014. The employment-population ratio was
held at 59.3 percent in February but is up by half a percentage point
over the year.
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