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ECONOMIC REPORT: Job growth slows to 97,000 in February; Unemployment rate unexpectedly falls back to 4.5%
By Rex Nutting, MarketWatch Last Update: 8:30 AM ET Mar 9, 2007

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Hit by wintry weather in February, the U.S. economy created the fewest number of jobs in two years, even as the unemployment rate fell back to 4.5%, the Labor Department reported Friday.
Nonfarm payrolls increased by 97,000, trivially lower than the 100,000 expected by economists surveyed by MarketWatch. It was the smallest job gain since January 2005.
Payroll growth in the previous two months was revised higher by a total of 55,000. January's payrolls were revised up to 146,000 from 111,000 previously.
While job growth was relatively weak in February, other aspects of the report pointed toward a tight labor market. The drop in the unemployment rate back to 4.5% from 4.6% was unexpected. The unemployment rate has drifted between 4.4% and 4.6% for the past six months.
Average hourly earnings increased a larger-than-expected 6 cents, or 0.4%, bringing the year-over-year gain to 4.1%. Higher wages could fuel inflation, Fed officials fear.
A blast of cold and wet weather in February after two months of balmy conditions "likely contributed" to job losses in construction, said Philip Rones, deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in a statement.
Construction jobs fell by 62,000 in February, including 23,000 in residential construction trades.
The weather may have also contributed to a six-minute decline in the average workweek to 33.7 hours. Total hours worked in the economy fell by 0.3%.
Factory payrolls fell by 14,000, the eighth straight monthly decline. Of 84 manufacturing industries, 42.9% were hiring in February, unchanged from January.
According to the payroll survey of 400,000 business establishments, Private-sector payrolls rose by 58,000, matching the 57,000 estimated by the ADP national employment report on Wednesday. Of 278 industries, 63.5% were hiring in February, the lowest since December 2005.
Service-producing industries added 168,000 jobs, with stronger growth seen in education and health care, professional services, and leisure and hospitality industries.
According to the separate survey of 60,000 households, the labor force fell by 190,000 in February, with 38,000 fewer employed. Unemployment fell by 152,000 to 6.9 million. The labor participation rate fell a tenth to 66.2%


ECONOMIC REPORT
U.S. trade gap narrows again in Jan.; Fourth decline in past five months adds to sense deficit is stabilizing
By Greg Robb, MarketWatch Last Update: 8:30 AM ET Mar 9, 2007

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - The U.S. trade deficit narrowed again in January, adding to the sense that the trade gap has at least stabilized and may even be starting on a downward trend, a government report showed Friday.
The nation's trade deficit narrowed by 3.8% to $59.1 billion, the Commerce Department said. This is the fourth narrowing of the deficit in the past five months.
The size of the decline surprised analysts. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had expected the deficit to narrow to $60.4 billion.
Meanwhile December's trade deficit was revised slightly to $61.5 billion from the initial estimate of $61.2 billion.
As a result of the revisions, for all of 2006, the U.S. trade deficit amounted to a record $765.3 billion, wider by 6.8% from 2005. This was the fifth year in a row that the trade gap set a new record high.
The recent improvement in the trade gap has had a positive effect on growth in gross domestic product. The trade balance contributed 1.4 percentage points to fourth quarter growth and today's report indicates that the deficit would add to growth in the first quarter.
In January, exports rose to a new record level while imports declined slightly.
Exports increased 1.1% to $126.7 billion, while imports declined 0.5% to $185.8 billion.
Exports of goods alone rose 3.9% to $65.4 billion.
The largest gain came in capital goods exports, which set a new record. The increase was paced by higher orders for civilian aircraft orders, which surged 13.1% in the month. Exports of agricultural products and consumer goods also set new record highs.
Meanwhile, the U.S. imported a record amount of agricultural products and capital goods. Imports of autos declined in January.

The petroleum deficit
The nation's petroleum deficit widened 4.7% to $21.8 billion, the highest level since September. The increase came despite a lower price for imported oil last month: The average price per barrel of oil fell to $52.23 in January from $53.84 in December. This is the lowest price of imported oil since last March.
The U.S. imported much more oil in the month, 320.1 million barrels, equating to 10.3 million barrels per day, up from 293.5 million, or 9.5 million barrels per day in December.
Despite the overall improvement, the U.S. trade deficit with China widened to $21.3 billion in January from $17.9 billion in the same month last year.
The U.S. trade deficit with the European Union was the lowest since January 2004 as exports to the region set a new record.

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8:30 AM ET
U.S. Feb. services payrolls up 168,000
U.S. Dec., Jan. payrolls revised up 55,000
U.S. Feb. factory payrolls fall 14,000
U.S. Feb. construction payrolls fall 62,000
U.S. Jan. trade gap with China $21.3bln vs $17.9 yr-earlier
U.S. Feb. average workweek falls to 33.7 hours
U.S. Jan. trade gap below consensus of $60.4 bln
U.S. Feb. average hourly earnings up 0.4% vs. 0.3% expected
U.S. Jan. trade gap narrows 3.8% to $59.1 bln
U.S. Feb. unemployment rate falls to 4.5% vs. 4.6% expected
U.S. Feb. nonfarm payrolls up 97,000 vs. 100,000 expected