U.S. job growth slowed more than expected in January, likely restrained by wildfires in California and cold weather across much of the country, but a 4.0% unemployment rate probably gives the Federal Reserve cover to hold off cutting interest rates at least until June.

Generally, the U.S. unemployment rate has held steady in the last year, but Black, Asian and disabled Americans have seen a rise in unemployment.

Canada's unemployment rate unexpectedly fell and the economy posted another solid month of job gains, data showed on Friday, in signs that joblessness was started to ease.

The economy added 143,000 jobs in January and the unemployment rate was 4%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. Investors had expected roughly 169,000 new jobs and for the unemployment rate to hold steady at 4.

Annual revisions to jobs data and disruptions related to the catastrophic Los Angeles fires and severe winter storms are likely to be reasons behind the slump in job gains.

The January jobs report revealed fewer new jobs than expected but the unemployment ticked down slightly. The latest data out Friday showed non-farm payrolls climbed by a seasonally adjusted 143,000 on the month,

January job growth in the United States in January dropped drastically from December numbers and fell short of analysts' expectations according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report released Friday.

US jobs growth slowed in January, according to the latest official figures, but the rate of unemployment declined. Employers created 143,000 jobs last month, compared with analyst's forecasts of about 170,