FX.co ★ US Private Sector Hiring Surges in January, More Than Doubling Previous Gain

The U.S. labor market showed a strong acceleration in private sector hiring in January, with private nonfarm payrolls rising by 172,000, according to data updated on 11 February 2026. This marks a sharp improvement from the previous reading of 64,000 recorded for January 2026, highlighting renewed momentum in private employment.

The jump in private payrolls suggests that businesses across the United States expanded their workforce significantly at the start of the year. While sector-level details were not provided, the headline increase indicates a broad strengthening in hiring appetite compared with the earlier, much softer gain. Investors and policymakers alike are likely to view the data as a sign that underlying labor demand in the private economy remains resilient.

Market participants will be watching upcoming labor indicators to assess whether January’s surge represents a one-off rebound or the beginning of a more sustained acceleration in job creation. For now, the latest private nonfarm payrolls figure underscores a notable uptick in hiring momentum as 2026 gets underway.