U.S. employers exceed expectations by adding 223,000 jobs in December


The latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that employers in the U.S. added 223,000 jobs in December, surpassing the expectations of economists and reflecting an economy that remains resilient amid interest rates hikes by the Federal Reserve, per The Associated Press. The unemployment rate dropped to 3.5 percent, a 53-year low, according to the Labor Department.
The report notes that the industries with notable job gains included "leisure and hospitality, health care, construction, and social assistance." December's job growth brought the total job creation for 2022 to 4.5 million, capping the second year of robust growth after the 6.7 million jobs added in 2021. Despite helping the country regain the number of jobs lost during the height of the COVID pandemic, AP says, "the rapid hiring and the hefty pay raises that accompanied it likely contributed to a spike in prices that catapulted inflation to its highest level in 40 years."
Average hourly earnings increased 0.3 percent from the previous month and 4.6 percent since last year, cooling down from November's gains. "The deceleration is likely welcome news for Fed officials, who see wage pressures, particularly in the service sector, as a key hurdle to achieving their 2 percent inflation goal," writes The New York Times.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Per Bloomberg, "the welcome uptick in participation paired with a slowdown in wage growth suggest some of the tightness in the labor market is starting to unwind," indicating that the Fed's rate hikes are staving off the threat of a recession.
"There's some indication that things are moving in the right direction. We're seeing the impact of the blunt tools of monetary policy take effect," Mike Loewengart, head of model portfolio construction for Morgan Stanley's Global Investment Office, told CNBC, "I don't think this is going to sway the Fed from a few additional raises going forward, but it no doubt is encouraging to see a moderation in wages."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Theara Coleman has worked as a staff writer at The Week since September 2022. She frequently writes about technology, education, literature and general news. She was previously a contributing writer and assistant editor at Honeysuckle Magazine, where she covered racial politics and cannabis industry news.
-
The Week Unwrapped: Will robots benefit from a sense of touch?
Podcast Plus, has Donald Trump given centrism a new lease of life? And was it wrong to release the deadly film Rust?
-
The week's best photos
In Pictures A dancing couple, a new pope, and more
-
How to create your perfect bedscape
The Week Recommends Nighttime is the right time to get excited about going to bed
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
What is the job market's future after Trump's tariffs?
Talking Points Economic analysts are split on what the tariffs could mean for employees
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores
-
Trump's China tariffs start after Canada, Mexico pauses
Speed Read The president paused his tariffs on America's closest neighbors after speaking to their leaders, but his import tax on Chinese goods has taken effect
-
Chinese AI chatbot's rise slams US tech stocks
Speed Read The sudden popularity of a new AI chatbot from Chinese startup DeepSeek has sent U.S. tech stocks tumbling