Is the US economy faltering or is just the bad weather

Is the US economy faltering or is just the bad weather? That's the question on everyone's minds as we head into a fresh week of economics and earnings news. The big news on Friday was the once again disappointing US jobs data. January nonfarm payrolls increased by 113,000 - an improvement over December's paltry numbers but well below expectations. So are US companies just not hiring like they were at the end of 2013? Possibly, but more likely the cause is in fact the bad weather. The arctic like conditions we've seen across the US has put a literal and figurative freeze on economic activity. Recent reports show several instances where sub-freezing conditions are keeping a lid on economic activity. For example, employment and construction is suffering. I believe February and March reports will show a return to moderate economic growth. (VIEW LINK)