US Job Growth Below Forecasts

2026-01-09 13:32 By Joana Taborda 1 min. read

The US economy added 50K payrolls in December 2025, less than a downwardly revised 56K in November and below forecasts of 60K.

Employment continued to trend up in food services and drinking places (27K), health care (21K) and social assistance (17K) while retail trade lost 25K jobs.

Also, federal government employment was little changed in December and employment showed little or no change in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; construction; manufacturing; wholesale trade; transportation and warehousing; information; financial activities; professional and business services.

The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for October was revised down by 68K to -173K and the change for November was revised down by 8K to +56K.

With these revisions, employment in October and November combined is 76K lower than previously reported.

Considering full 2025, payroll employment rose by 584K, corresponding to an average monthly gain of 49K, less than the increase of 2.0 million in 2024.



News Stream
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The US economy added 130K payrolls in January 2026, much higher than a downwardly revised 48K rise in December and well above forecasts of 70K. It is the highest figure since December 2024, with job gains occurring in health care (82K), particulalrly ambulatory health care services (50K); social assistance (42K); and construction (33K). The manufacturing sector added 5K jobs. In contrast, federal government lost 34K jobs as some federal employees who accepted a deferred resignation offer in 2025 came off federal payrolls. Employment in financial activities was down by 22K. Employment showed little change over the month in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; wholesale trade; retail trade; transportation and warehousing; information; professional and business services; leisure and hospitality. Meanwhile, total nonfarm employment growth for 2025 was revised down to +181K from +584K, implying average monthly job gains of just 15K, well below the previously reported 49K.
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2026-02-11
US Job Growth Below Forecasts
The US economy added 50K payrolls in December 2025, less than a downwardly revised 56K in November and below forecasts of 60K. Employment continued to trend up in food services and drinking places (27K), health care (21K) and social assistance (17K) while retail trade lost 25K jobs. Also, federal government employment was little changed in December and employment showed little or no change in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; construction; manufacturing; wholesale trade; transportation and warehousing; information; financial activities; professional and business services. The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for October was revised down by 68K to -173K and the change for November was revised down by 8K to +56K. With these revisions, employment in October and November combined is 76K lower than previously reported. Considering full 2025, payroll employment rose by 584K, corresponding to an average monthly gain of 49K, less than the increase of 2.0 million in 2024.
2026-01-09