Payroll Data Hit the Mark

Updated from 8:38 a.m. EST

Employers added 97,000 workers to nonfarm payrolls in February, while the unemployment rate ticked just lower to 4.5%.

The numbers were right in line with what Wall Street wanted to see and support the view of a U.S. economy that's growing at a healthy pace but not at a rate that will heighten fears of inflation.

On average, economists polled by Bloomberg ahead of the data were looking for an addition of 95,000 jobs. The unemployment rate was expected to remain at 4.6%. ...