[41 / 1 / 1]
Quoted By: >>1474685
U.S. employment growth slowed more than expected in December amid job losses in the construction, retail and manufacturing sectors.
Economists have blamed sluggish job growth on President Donald Trump's aggressive trade and immigration policies, which they say have reduced both demand for and supply of workers.
Businesses are also holding back on hiring, unsure of their staffing needs as they invest heavily in artificial intelligence. The economy is experiencing a jobless expansion, with growth and worker productivity surging in the third quarter, which was partly attributed to AI.
"The weak job-growth story can't be brushed aside. Hiring is still stuck in stall speed, and job growth in the cyclical parts of the economy isn't sending a comforting signal."
The labor market lost considerable momentum last year, with only 584,000 jobs added, averaging 49,000 positions per month. Roughly 2 million jobs were created in 2024
The BLS has estimated about 911,000 fewer jobs were created in the 12 months through March 2025 than previously reported.
With factors like tariffs and AI preventing companies from hiring more workers, economists increasingly view the labor market's challenges as more structural than cyclical, which would make rate cuts less effective to stimulate job growth.
https://www.reuters.com/business/us-job-growth-slows-december-unemployment-rate-eases-44-2026-01-09/
Economists have blamed sluggish job growth on President Donald Trump's aggressive trade and immigration policies, which they say have reduced both demand for and supply of workers.
Businesses are also holding back on hiring, unsure of their staffing needs as they invest heavily in artificial intelligence. The economy is experiencing a jobless expansion, with growth and worker productivity surging in the third quarter, which was partly attributed to AI.
"The weak job-growth story can't be brushed aside. Hiring is still stuck in stall speed, and job growth in the cyclical parts of the economy isn't sending a comforting signal."
The labor market lost considerable momentum last year, with only 584,000 jobs added, averaging 49,000 positions per month. Roughly 2 million jobs were created in 2024
The BLS has estimated about 911,000 fewer jobs were created in the 12 months through March 2025 than previously reported.
With factors like tariffs and AI preventing companies from hiring more workers, economists increasingly view the labor market's challenges as more structural than cyclical, which would make rate cuts less effective to stimulate job growth.
https://www.reuters.com/business/us-job-growth-slows-december-unemployment-rate-eases-44-2026-01-09/
