According to a new report from the Labor Department, the economy added 157,000 jobs in January. The unemployment rate rose to 7.9% from 7.8%. Government payrolls continued to shrink, while retail, construction and health care all added jobs. The numbers are around where economists expected them to be, given consumer sentiment and the political turmoil in Washington. The labor force participation rate remains low, with many not looking for jobs.
See "U.S. Adds 157,000 Jobs; Jobless Rate Edges Up to 7.9%", Catherine Rampell, The New York Times, January 31, 2013