Figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics showed Friday that the US added 236,000 jobs in February, bringing the unemployment rate down to 7.7 percent from 7.9 percent last month. The February unemployment rate is the lowest in about four years. The construction industry added 48,000 jobs in February, the ninth consecutive month of job growth for the sector, and the most since 2007 and 20 percent of the total employment gain in February.
In Canada, employment rose by 51,000 in February according to data from Statistics Canada, following a slight decline the previous month. Nonetheless, as more people participated in the workforce, the unemployment rate held steady at 7 percent. Compared with February 2012, employment improved by 1.9 percent or 336,000. Manufacturing was the lone industry to post a notable decline last month.