The Conference Board’s employment trends index increased in January to a reading of 116.61, up from December’s downwardly revised reading of 115.62. The January reading is up 6.0 percent from the same month a year ago.

“Despite weak job reports in December and January, the Employment Trends Index is not signaling a slowdown in employment growth,” said Gad Levanon, director of macroeconomic research at The Conference Board.  “We expect solid job growth and rapid declines in the unemployment rate to continue in the coming months.”