The pivotal February jobs report is out Friday. Here's what to expect
1. Labor market shows mixed signals, heightening investor anxiety. 2. Layoffs at highest level since July 2020, impacting labor sentiment. 3. Consumer confidence unexpectedly drops, correlating with job availability fears. 4. February nonfarm payrolls expected to show job growth with steady unemployment. 5. Average hourly earnings projected to rise 4.2% year-over-year.