Big miss: US economy down 92K jobs in February; Qatar warns of war halting Gulf oil flows; Trump demands Iran’s ‘unconditional surrender’

The U.S. economy lost 92,000 jobs in February, according to employment data released Friday morning.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a loss of 92,000 jobs (including 86,000 in the private sector) in February. Wall Street expected 59,000 jobs to be created last month.

Along with the big jobs miss, U.S. employment rate ticked up to 4.4% and BLS revised December and January job numbers down by 69,000.

The February jobs data comes before the U.S. and Israel launched the war against Iran and the resulting increase in oil and gasoline prices.

There are concerns about the impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) on jobs and whether technology automation will results in employment losses.

Gas and oil prices are up since the start of the war. According to AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report, gas prices average $3.32 per gallon as of Friday. That is up from $2.90 per gallon a month ago. In Montana, the average price of gas is at $3.04 per gallon up from $2.75 per gallon a month ago, according to AAA.

Oil prices are up 25% since the start of the war on Saturday.

Benchmark oil prices are up with Brent Crude near $90 per barrel and U.S. oil at more than $87 per barrel, according to CNBC.

The Financial Times reported Friday at Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi is worried the war could shutdown Persian Gulf energy production.

According to FT, al-Kaabi said that could push crude oil prices up to $150 per barrel and could potentially “bring down the economies of the world.”

On Friday, President Donald Trump demanded an “unconditional surrender” from Iran in the war which he launched with Israel on Saturday.

“There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER! After that, and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before. IRAN WILL HAVE A GREAT FUTURE. “MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN (MIGA!),” Trump said in a Truth Social post.