U.S. unemployment rate ticks down in February

The national unemployment rate ticked down two tenths of a point in February to 5.5 percent compared to January, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Last month, nonfarm payroll employment rose by 295,000 jobs, led by increases in food services and drinking places, professional and business services, construction, health care, and transportation and warehousing, according to a news release.

Employers in the food services and drinking places industry added 51,000 jobs in February. The industry has recorded an average of 35,000 new jobs per month during the past 12 months.

The BLS reports employment in construction rose by 29,000 positions last month, with the majority - 27,000 - coming from specialty trade contractors.

Health care employment increased by 24,000 positions, led by ambulatory care services, at 20,000, according to the release.

In the transportation and warehousing industry, employers hired an additional 19,000 jobs last month. Most of the positions - 12,000 - came from gains in couriers and messengers.

One offsetting industry cited by the BLS was mining, where employers decreased payroll employment by 9,000 jobs in February, according to the release.

At the end of last month, the number of unemployed in the nation was 8.7 million, down 1.7 million from a year earlier.[[In-content Ad]]