U.S. economy adds 145,000 jobs in December, below analysts' expectations

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(Image credit: iStock/davidmariuz)

The U.S. economy added 145,000 jobs in December, according to Friday's jobs report that came in a bit below analysts' expectations.

Economists had expected closer to 160,000 jobs to be added following a gain of 256,000 in November, The New York Times reports. For this reason, CNBC characterized Friday's report as "disappointing," writing that the "U.S. jobs market ended 2019 on a sour note." Still, the unemployment rate remained at 3.5 percent, a 50-year low.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.