IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
Retail added 34,800 jobs in January, as some merchants added to their staffs following the holiday shopping season.
Job gains were posted in sporting goods, e-commerce and general merchandise stores, according to the National Retail Federation in Washington, D.C.
Another sign that the U.S. economy is in recovery, the retail sector added 215,600 jobs in 2014 year-over-year. That figure doesn’t include automobile dealerships, restaurants or gasoline stations, the federation stated.
“The January jobs report is often a surprise with lots of moving parts and revisions, and [this] release is no exception,” said Jack Kleinhenz, the federation’s chief economist, in a statement. “The report only enhances the general attitude that the encouraging employment trend is solid and should continue to move in a positive direction. Our economy seems to be normalizing.”
Wages also grew 0.5 percent in January, a modest increase but still a sign that wage and salary growth is likely to continue, Kleinhenz noted.
