Getting better: US job creation picks up in February

The figure was still below the 200,000-plus level that would erase doubts about the economy’s strength. ILLUSTRATION: JAMAL KHURSHID

WASHINGTON: 

US job creation picked up pace in February after harsh weather depressed the numbers for two months, somewhat alleviating worries that economic growth had sputtered out during the winter.

The economy generated 175,000 jobs last month, better than most analysts had expected given the persistence of severe storms, the labour department said Friday.

The figure, which came after a series of poor indicators that had led economists to cut their forecasts, was still below the 200,000-plus level that would erase doubts about the economy’s strength.

Coupled with an upward revision to the December and January figures that added another 25,000 jobs to the picture, the February achievement allowed many to believe that the main problem has been the extraordinarily cold and icy storms that have pummeled the eastern half of the US for months.