Economy added booming 353K jobs in January, unemployment held at 3.7%.

Hiring picked up sharply in January as employers added a booming 353,000 jobs, highlighting a labor market that continues to defy high interest rates and household financial strains. The unemployment rate held steady at 3.7%, the Labor Department said Friday. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had estimated that 185,000 jobs were added last month. The January totals were expected to be skewed by some unusual crosscurrents. Cold, snowy weather in the Northeast and Midwest likely dampened employment in industries such as construction and restaurants, Goldman Sachs wrote in a research note....