January job gains were better than anything the U.S. economy saw in 2025 but not still enough to sound an all-clear on what has otherwise been a stagnant labor market. With a gain of 130,000 nonfarm payrolls and the unemployment rate slipping to 4.3%, the lowest since August, the numbers indicated that hiring is at least hanging in there while layoffs appear contained. However, beneath the hood there were some trouble spots: A continued concentration in just a few fields where hiring is