U.S. Job Growth Hits Strongest Gain In Months | February 11, 2026

On today’s Hot Sheet, Byron Lazine broke down the January Employment Situation report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, showing payrolls up 130,000, unemployment at 4.3%, and wages rising 3.7% year over year.

He also covered new Federal Reserve Bank of New York data showing household debt climbed to $18.78T in Q4 2025, with credit card balances up $44B and student loan delinquencies at 9.6%.

To wrap up, Byron reviewed the latest MBA report, where purchase applications slipped 2% week over week but refinances remained 101% higher than a year ago.