Overall Unemployment: 4.8% (4.7%)
African America Unemployment: 8.1% (7.7%)
Latino America Unemployment: 5.6% (5.9%)
European America Unemployment: 4.1% (4.3%)
Asian America Unemployment: 3.4% (3.7%)
Previous month in parentheses.
Analysis: Overall unemployment went unchanged. All groups saw a decline, except for African America, with a 40 basis point increase. Asian and Latino America tied with decreases of 30 basis points.
African American Male Unemployment: 7.8% (7.3%)
African American Female Unemployment: 7.1% (6.7%)
African American Teenage Unemployment: 24.3% (26.9%)
African American Male Participation: 67.8% (68.1%)
African American Female Participation: 62.7% (62.6%)
African American Teenage Participation: 30.0% (30.4%)
Analysis: African American teenagers saw a decline by 260 basis points in their unemployment rate, while men and women saw increases. Only African American women saw a rise in their participation rate by 10 basis points, with men and teenagers seeing significant pullbacks in the area.
CONCLUSION: The overall economy added 235 000 jobs in February. A small uptick from the 227 000 in January, but well above the 190 000 estimates. This is the first jobs report of the Trump presidency and if the goal was to restore European America’s faith that this is their country, then the jobs report definitely reflects it. European Americans added a jaw dropping 429 000 jobs in February, while African America lost 67 000 jobs. A looming rate hike for March could push the economy closer to a recession even though the market seems to be barreling ahead, there is definitely signs of steam coming out in the deeper economic data.
African America currently needs 738 000 jobs to match America’s unemployment rate. An increase of 76 000 from January.
HBCU Money 