The US unemployment rate slightly decreased in December, alleviating concerns about the labor market

On January 10, the Wall Street Journal commented on U.S. non-farm data, stating that the United States added 256,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate slightly decreased. This is much higher than a previous survey result where economists predicted that there would be 155,000 non-agricultural jobs in December. The unemployment rate of 4.1% is also better than the expected 4.2%. The unemployment rate is close to what Federal Reserve officials consider sustainable in the long term; Fed Chairman Powell once said he doesn't think it's necessary for the labor market to cool down further. After rising in the first half of 2024, since this summer it seems to have stabilized, alleviating people's concerns about possible economic deterioration last fall.