In the US, February non-farm payrolls came in better than expected, perhaps a sign that the economy is recovering from the bad winter

In the US, February non-farm payrolls came in better than expected, perhaps a sign that the economy is recovering from the bad winter. Non farm payroll employment climbed to 175,000, up from a revised 145,000 in January. The number was well above analysts' expectations of 125,000 to 150,000 jobs added. The unemployment rate climbed slightly to 6.7% (from 6.6%) as more workers entered the labor force. The February number was supposed to reflect the harsh winter conditions - so the fact that it's considerably higher than anticipated could bode well for next month's number. The next couple weeks worth of initial jobless claims reports should give us a reasonable clue as to the extent of improvement in the job market. (VIEW LINK)