US sees jobs surge as hope for rebound rises

Hiring surged in the US last month as virus cases dropped, the vaccination campaign gained steam and restaurants and bars brought back workers.

Employers added 379,000 jobs in February, breaking a two-month streak of minimal gains.

The growth was stronger than analysts had expected, but the activity did not significantly dent the jobless rate.

It dipped from 6.3% to 6.2%, reflecting the millions that remain out of work because of the virus.

"This number is a surprise, but it's essentially all about the reopening boost to the jobs market arriving earlier than expected," said Brian Coulton, chief economist at Fitch Ratings.

"The leisure and transport sector accounted for a very high share of the job gains in the private sector, as social distancing restrictions were eased," he added. "Stripping those sectors out, the gains were much more subdued."