US hiring held firm in December capping weakest year of growth since the pandemic

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Lauren ArataniJanuary 9, 2026 at 02:59 PM

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medium article 3 min

US hiring remained steady in December, with 50,000 jobs added, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This capped the weakest year for job growth since the pandemic, with 584,000 jobs added in 2025, compared to 2 million in 2024. The December figure was slightly below economists' expectations, and previous months' data were revised downward. The unemployment rate decreased to 4.4% in December, after rising to 4.6% in November. Economists describe the labor market as being in a "no hire, no fire" phase. The Federal Reserve is expected to consider this data when deciding on interest rate policy at their upcoming meeting.

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Massachusetts 40% Challenger, Gray & Christmas 40% Elizabeth Warren 60% Federal Reserve 60% Joe Biden ×270% US Bureau of Labor Statistics ×270% Donald Trump ×280% United States ×1090%

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