. >> reporter: bitter wint weathe in much of the country and job losses in the energy sector due to declining oil prices are key reasons why leading economists expect a job growth slowdown in february. nearly 40,000 jobs have been lost in the energy sector in the first two months of 2015. according to a leading job placement firm. >> right now we're seeing in the midst of this expansion one sector going through the change. that's energy. 38% of all cuts right now for the firts two months of the year have come from that sector. >> reporter: today, the labor department tells us first time unemployment claims topped 320,000 last week pushing the moving average back above 300,000. the highest since mid january. earlier in the week a closely watched forecast for private sector job growth showed a gain of 2012,000 jobs down from 250,000 last month. >> we have to see the promise land which is spring i think before we finally start to see the economy revert to the gross reject ri we have for much of 2014 angd will give us growth over 20% in 2015. >> reporter: when the federal reserve meets in two wee