By Jessica Coacci
A reading of the U.S. labor market from The Conference Board rose again in February despite a weak payrolls report last month, a gauge of employment showed.
The Employment Trends Index, or ETI, rose to 105.37 in February, from an upwardly revised 105.18 in January.
"February's 92,000 decline in BLS payrolls-while not a direct ETI input-were affected by temporary factors from weather and strikes," said Mitchell Barnes, an economist at The Conference Board. "Overall, job creation is low but the labor market remains roughly in-balance due to slower labor force growth," he added.
When the ETI increases, employment is likely to increase as well, while turning points in the index suggest a change in the number of jobs is likely to occur in the short term.
The share of involuntary part-time workers declined in February, and was the largest positive ETI contributor for the second consecutive month. However, initial claims for unemployment insurance ticked up in February following a steady decline since September. In addition, employment in the temporary help services industry declined in February after gains in two of the three prior months.
The share of consumers who report "jobs are hard to get" rose in February to reach the highest point since early 2021.
"Mixed signals may persist as businesses and consumers wade through ongoing policy uncertainty," Barnes added.
Write to Jessica Coacci at jessica.coacci@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
03-09-26 1047ET
