Job losses hit construction, retail and transportation

Several industries endured weak hiring or job losses in February. The construction sector, for example, shed 31,000 jobs, its sharpest decline in more than five years. The retail, transportation and government categories also cut jobs.

A category that includes restaurants and hotels remained flat, after adding 89,000 jobs in January. The pace of employment growth in education and health services also slowed sharply.

Bucking the trend, professional services, a category whose occupations range from architects and accountants to computer systems designers and administrative support staff, added a healthy 42,000 jobs.

Overall, U.S. employers added just 20,000 jobs in February. The unemployment rate ticked down to 3.8 percent, the Labor Department said Friday.