OUTLOOK & ANALYSIS

Accounting and Bookkeeping Sector Loses 2,300 Jobs in February

(All employees, bookkeeping and accounting sector, seasonally adjusted)

Seasonally-adjusted employment sinks to 874,100.

That’s down from 876,400 in January, according to new government data, and part of a consistent decline since January 2008.

Meanwhile, the nation and economy overall added 192,000 jobs to non-farm payrolls in February, the fastest pace in nine months. The unemployment rate declined to 8.9 percent, almost a two-year low.

Economists suggest the economy may be shifting into higher gear. But you wouldn’t know it from the employment trends in the almost million-person accounting and bookkeeping sector.