US January Job Numbers Weak

According to the Department of Labor, U.S. employers added only113,000 jobs during the month of January, a number significantly less than the average monthly gain of 194,000 last year, raising concerns that the nation's economy is slowing down.

Job gains over the last three months have averaged just 154,000, down from 201,000 in the preceding three. January and December's job growth were the weakest two months of job growth in three years.

According to the report, private employers added 142,000 positions to their payrolls in January, while government at all levels cut 29,000 jobs. Manufacturing jobs saw a gain of 21,000 jobs, while employment in construction increased by 48,000.

Despite a less-than-stellar month for job numbers, the unemployment rate dipped slightly to 6.6 percent, the lowest it's been since October 2008.