BUSINESS MEMO: JOBLESS UP SLIGHTLY

Unemployment edged up slightly to 4.4 percent in February as factories cut jobs to cope with the global financial crisis. But outside of manufacturing, job growth remained robust even as wage pressures lessened -- a combination that sparked huge rallies on Wall Street.

Overall, 275,000 jobs were created last month as mild winter weather in much of the nation spurred a hiring boost of 72,000 workers in the construction industry, the Labor Department said. Retail establishments from restaurants to department stores also expanded employment by a strong 123,000, the biggest one-month gain in more than a decade.