US job growth fell slightly short of expectations in February, while the unemployment rate edged up.



The Labor Department said on Friday that nonfarm payrolls rose by 151,000 from the previous month. Economists had forecast growth of around 160,000.



The unemployment rate stood at 4.1 percent, up one-tenth of a point.



Average hourly wages, a key indicator of inflation, grew 4 percent year-on-year and 0.3 percent from January.



Within government, federal employment declined by 10,000 in February. Analysts say this could be partially due to cuts in the federal workforce by the administration of President Donald Trump.



Bloomberg said February's data show "a mixed snapshot of a job market hanging in the balance of quickly changing government policy."



Concerns are rising that Trump's tariffs and other policies may dent the job market and cool the US economy.