Dollar jumps as U.S. employers add more jobs than expected in January

The dollar jumped on Friday after data showed that U.S. employers added significantly more jobs in January than economists expected, potentially giving the Federal Reserve more leeway to keep hiking interest rates.

The Labor Department’s closely watched employment report showed that nonfarm payrolls surged by 517,000 jobs last month. Data for December was revised higher to show 260,000 jobs added instead of the previously reported 223,000.

Average hourly earnings rose 0.3% after gaining 0.4% in December. That lowered the year-on-year increase in wages to 4.4% from 4.8% in December. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a gain of 185,000 jobs and a 4.3% year-on-year jump in wages.

The surprisingly strong payrolls number reversed a move from Wednesday, when traders raised bets that the U.S. central bank would stop hiking borrowing costs after a widely expected 25-basis-point increase in March.

Courtesy Reuters. By Karen Brettell.