Revisions also cut 69,000 jobs from December and January payrolls.

A downturn in government and consumer spending contributed to the slowdown in fourth-quarter growth.

The job market has been sluggish for months even though the economy is registering solid growth.

The data suggests that businesses are reluctant to add workers even as economic growth has picked up. 

Fed Chair Jerome Powell warned after last week’s rate cut that the job market is even weaker than it appeared.