U.S. job growth slowed more than expected in January after robust gains in the prior two months, but a 4.0% unemployment rate probably will give the Federal Reserve cover to hold off cutting interest rates at least until June.

In January, the unemployment rate was 6.6%, a notch below the 6.7% seen in the prior month and the economy added a net of 76,000 jobs, slightly down from a revised 91,000 job additions in December, but still a robust gain. Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast net additions of 25,000 jobs in January and the unemployment rate at 6.8%.

Canada's unemployment rate unexpectedly fell again and the economy posted solid job gains, data showed on Friday, in signs that joblessness was starting to ease from an eight-year peak, barring the pandemic years,

Storyline: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠U.S. employers added 143,000 jobs in January amid slowing job growth, with the unemployment rate edging down to 4.0 percent, the U.S. Labor Department reported Friday. Job gains occurred in health care,

U.S. employers added 143,000 jobs in January — a modest slowdown from the two previous months. The unemployment rate dipped to 4%.