The unemployment rate was 4.8% in January, the 17th consecutive month that it hovered at or below 5%. Joblessness has been steady despite continued job gains because the workforce-participation rate has stabilized after a long decline. That’s an encouraging sign, though many economists think participation will resume falling at some point due to demographic and other trends. Watch both participation and unemployment in Friday’s report, as well as the broader measure of unemployment and underemployment known as the U-6.

Source: Wall Street Journal March 09, 2017 15:00 UTC