Hourly wages rise twice as much as expected. Job growth was significantly stronger than expected.
Wage growth also picked up noticeably. Unemployment stagnated at a low level: 3.7 percent. It is not far from the low since 1969 of 3.4 percent, which was marked a year ago. The development brings with it some challenges for the US Federal Reserve Bank, because a robust job market with rising wages suggests additional inflation risks. The probability that the US Fed will initiate a change in key interest rates at its next meeting in March drops to zero.