Editor’s note: This article was updated to add more details and context. economy added 130,000 jobs in January, according to data released Wednesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The pace of employment growth sharply surpassed economist expectations of 70,000 and marked a strong acceleration compared to December’s downwardly revised 48,000. However, the jobs report also included sweeping benchmark revisions that erased roughly 898,000 jobs from payroll estimates from April 2024 through March 2025. Total nonfarm employment growth for 2025 was revised down from 584,000 to 181,000. Private sector payrolls surged by 172,000 in January, marking the strongest monthly gain since December 2024. Hiring was concentrated in health care, social assistance and construction, while federal government and financial activities posted declines. Health care led job creation, adding 82,000 positions. Gains were strongest in ambulatory health care services, which added 50,000 jobs, followed by hospita...