Quick Hits - Positive Momentum on Jobs

As you've seen by now, the numbers are in for the February jobs report and it's very positive news.

-236,000 new jobs on payrolls in February than in January

-National unemployment is down to 7.7%, the lowest unemployment rate since December of 2008 - the last month of the Bush Administration.

-Wages jumped while the underemployment rate dropped significantly as well.

-14,000 new manufacturing jobs in February. This positive trend contributed to this eyepopping stat: Manufacturing has added over half a million jobs over the last 37 months, the most for any such period since 1986

-With February’s great numbers, job growth has now averaged over 200,000 a month since November. 

Although there’s clearly more work to be done to get where we want to be, there is no doubt that February’s jobs report indicates the recovery is gaining momentum.