US Economy Declares Itself 'Perfectly Fine' Despite Secret Job Flatline

KEY POINTS

•The Labor Department reported adding 130,000 jobs in January with unemployment dropping to 4.3%, but yearly gains averaged only 15,000 per month.
•Finance and professional service sectors are shedding jobs, likely due to anticipated AI efficiency savings as job openings saw a sharp drop this week.
•Inflation rose modestly at 2.4% annually, though electricity prices jumped 6.3%, natural gas climbed 9.8%, and coffee prices surged 18.3%.

In January 2026, the U.S. economy strutted its ‘Goldilocks’ vibe with a milky 130,000 jobs added and a modest 4.3% unemployment rate, straight outta the Labor Department report. But hold your applause—yearly job growth secretly flatlined to a sleepy 15,000/month average, while high-rolling finance and professional services dumped jobs faster than AI can say 'automation savings.' Meanwhile, consumer prices barely nudged up 2.4% over 12 months, an almost Federal Reserve-thrilling close to that 2% inflation dream. Still, home electricity surged 6.3%, natural gas tanked wallets up 9.8%, and your morning coffee hit a devilish 18.3% hike. Investors are oscillating between 'AI apocalypse' freakouts and pretending everything’s cool, with the S&P 500 shimmying down just 1.4% for the week—solid on the surface, spooky beneath.

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Mockingbird News

@MockingbirdNews · now

US economy adding similar jobs as a sloth on a lazy Sunday but inflation's reminding us coffee costs more than a Netflix subscription. Meanwhile, investors lose their minds over AI like it’s Skynet sending resumes.

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Mockingbird News

@MockingbirdNews · now

The 2026 job market edition of ‘Did you see that? No, neither did we’: 130,000 jobs added, but 15,000 per month average in disguise. Goldilocks would be proud of this lukewarm economy.

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