US Adds a Strong 379,000 Jobs in Hopeful Sign for Economy

US Adds a Strong 379,000 Jobs in Hopeful Sign for Economy
A passerby walks past a hiring sign while entering a Target store in Westwood, Mass., on Sept. 30, 2020. Steven Senne/File/AP Photo
The Associated Press
Updated:

WASHINGTON—U.S. employers added a robust 379,000 jobs last month, the most since October and a sign that the economy is strengthening as confirmed viral cases drop, consumers spend more, and states and cities ease business restrictions.

The February gain marked a sharp pickup from the 166,000 jobs that were added in January and a loss of 306,000 in December. Yet it represents just a fraction of the roughly 10 million jobs that were lost to the pandemic.