Employment climbed more than forecast in January and the U.S. jobless rate unexpectedly fell to the lowest in three years, casting doubt on the Federal Reserve's pledge to keep interest rates low until late 2014.

The 243,000 increase in payrolls was the most since April and exceeded all forecasts in a Bloomberg News survey, Labor Department figures showed in Washington. The unemployment rate dropped to 8.3 percent, the lowest since February 2009.

Stock futures and bond yields jumped as the report fueled optimism the economy is weathering the European debt crisis. The data may boost President Barack Obama's re-election bid and come one week after Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said the economy wasn't growing fast enough to push unemployment lower.