U.S. hiring picked up in January and wages rose at the fastest annual pace since the recession ended, as the economy’s steady move toward full employment extended into 2018.

Companies in the U.S. added more workers in January than projected, indicating the labor market remains healthy, according to data released Jan. 31 from the ADP Research Institute.

U.S. filings for unemployment benefits increased a week after plunging to the lowest level since 1973, underscoring a still historically tight jobs market, Labor Department figures showed Jan. 25.

U.S. filings for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose to a three-month high last week during a holiday period when claims tend to be volatile, Labor Department figures showed Jan. 11.

U.S. payroll gains slowed by more than forecast in December, wages picked up slightly and the jobless rate held at the lowest level since 2000, adding to signs of a full-employment economy.

Payrolls at U.S. companies increased in December by the most in nine months, consistent with further progress in the labor market, according to data released Jan. 4 from the ADP Research Institute in Roseland, N.J.

U.S. filings for unemployment benefits jumped to the highest in five weeks, though the level remained low by historical standards, Labor Department figures showed Dec. 21.

UPS Inc., FedEx and the U.S. Postal Service have sizable operations in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania and have ramped up operations by hiring hundreds of seasonal employees to handle an expected surge in holiday orders.

U.S. job openings unexpectedly cooled in October from an all-time high a month earlier, still consistent with a solid job market, Labor Department data showed Dec. 11.

The U.S. added more jobs than forecast in November and the unemployment rate held at an almost 17-year low, though below-forecast wage gains suggested the labor market still has slack to absorb.