Your monthly labor market index—built for talent leaders
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Market analyst's callout board for February 2026
January delivered a stronger-than-expected rebound in job growth — +130,000 nonfarm jobs added, with unemployment ticking slightly up to 4.3%. But the real signal is where growth showed up: gains were led by Healthcare (+82K), Professional Services (+34K), and Construction (+33K), pointing to broader momentum beyond the sectors that carried hiring last year.
Revised data is reshaping how we understand the labor market heading into 2026. The BLS significantly adjusted 2025 employment gains downward to 181,000 jobs from the previously reported 584,000, pulling the monthly average from roughly 49,000 jobs to just 15,000. The revision confirms that last year’s labor market was weaker than originally believed, reinforcing a “slow-movement” hiring environment defined by cautious approvals, fewer openings, and limited candidate mobility.
The Talent Market Index shows We’re seeing cooling happen month over month in certain pockets — but long-term pricing pressure is still elevated. Seven segments remain above the baseline, and year-over-year costs are up across the board. So while hiring may be stabilizing, talent isn’t suddenly getting cheaper.
The Talivity Talent Market Index (TMI) offers a fresh perspective on talent supply and demand dynamics across industries. It tracks the fluctuating prices employers pay to attract talent through paid advertising across diverse media channels.
Current month performance indicators for February 2026
View Data As ChartMarket Leaders Tighten: Finance & Ops and Healthcare Hold the Line as Transportation & Logistics Surges
Finance & Operations and Healthcare led the Index in January, with Transportation & Logistics emerging as the most disruptive mover. Despite broader cooling trends across several functions, employers continue to pay premiums for experienced operators, frontline support, and revenue-driving roles where available talent remains thin and hiring urgency stays high.
The strongest month-over-month increases were seen in Transportation & Logistics (+21.2%), IT & Related (+20.3%), and Hospitality (+12.2%), signaling renewed pricing pressure in operational and frontline-heavy roles to start the year. Sales (+2.9%) and Finance & Operations (+3.7%) posted more modest gains, suggesting stabilization across select corporate functions.
Meanwhile, declines were observed in Retail (-6.6%), Light Industrial (-6.7%), and Food Services (-7.8%), pointing to localized cooling following seasonal hiring peaks and early signs of normalization in high-volume hiring segments.
Year-over-year, the strongest pricing increases were led by Transportation & Logistics (+170.3%), followed by Finance & Operations (+76.8%) and Sales (+62.1%), highlighting sustained competition for operational and revenue-driving roles despite broader market moderation.
Healthcare (+13.6%), Food Services (+12.7%), Light Industrial (+12.0%), and Hospitality (+8.9%) also remained elevated year over year, reinforcing persistent pricing pressure across frontline hiring segments. IT & Related (+5.0%) and Retail (+1.3%) posted more modest gains, suggesting relative stabilization compared to last year’s volatility.
The broader labor market enters 2026 with clearer expectations following significant downward revisions to prior job growth. While hiring momentum remains measured, January’s data paints a brighter picture than last year, signaling stabilization rather than deterioration. Month-over-month pricing shows signs of cooling in select segments, yet year-over-year costs remain elevated across all categories. The result is a labor market defined by cautious optimism, where demand is returning and pricing pressure persists.
Detailed insights by sector for February 2026
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