Waller: January hiring was all concentrated in couple sectors

Waller: January hiring was all concentrated in couple sectors

Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller highlighted concerns about the uneven distribution of job growth in January 2026, noting that hiring gains were concentrated in a limited number of sectors. The U.S. labor market added 130,000 jobs in January, with healthcare accounting for over half of the total (82,000 positions) and construction contributing an additional 33,000 jobs according to the report. Meanwhile, other sectors, including transportation and warehousing (-11,000), information (-12,000), and financial activities (-22,000), experienced job losses. Federal government employment also declined by 35,000 positions during the month.

Waller described the January data as an "upside surprise," but emphasized the need to assess whether the gains signaled a broader labor market recovery or reflected temporary factors according to Reuters. He acknowledged that the recent rebound followed a period of weak hiring in 2025, which was revised downward to 181,000 annual jobs added from an initial estimate of 584,000 according to the report. The Fed's next policy decision, scheduled for March 17-18, will hinge on February's employment report, which Waller said could determine whether a pause in rate cuts is warranted according to Reuters.

While the labor force participation rate for prime-age workers reached 84.1%, a 25-year high, Waller cautioned that inflation risks remain near 2% after adjustments for tariff-related distortions according to Reuters. Analysts remain divided on whether the January gains reflect sustained momentum or seasonal anomalies, with February data due March 6.