Weekly Briefing - Catching up on delayed data

Here is the week in economics, explained without the jargon.

A strong jobs report, finally released

The January jobs report, delayed by the recent government shutdown, showed employers added 130,000 jobs - more than double what economists expected - and unemployment fell to 4.3%. Healthcare, construction, and social assistance led the gains. Statistics agencies also revised down their count of jobs added over the past year by about 900,000, a routine annual correction that is larger than usual this time.

The Bank of England held rates

The UK’s central bank kept interest rates unchanged, though the vote was closer than expected, raising the odds of a rate cut at its next meeting. Central bank votes that are unusually close are often a signal that officials themselves are genuinely split on which way the economy is heading.

Early signs inflation was cooling in China

Chinese inflation data suggested some early signs that a long stretch of falling prices there might be easing, with businesses reporting their first increase in selling prices in over a year.

What it means for you

A stronger-than-expected jobs report is broadly good news, though the size of the revision is a reminder that any single month’s data can shift once more complete information comes in.