Thriving Opportunities: Unpacking the Robust Job Market

U.S. companies added 256,000 positions last month, while the jobless rate slipped down to 4.1%. Sectors such as hospitality and retail contributed tens of thousands of jobs in December.

Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images

hide caption

toggle caption

Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images

One significant factor that president-elect Donald Trump will inherit as President Biden prepares to transfer power is a robust labor market.

Employers in the U.S. added over a quarter-million jobs in December — exceeding expectations — while the unemployment rate fell to 4.1%, according to a report from the Labor Department released on Friday.

Here are four key points regarding the job market and the overall economy.

The U.S. job market has remained remarkably strong

The rate of hiring has decelerated in the United States — yet it has not halted.

On average, companies have brought in 165,000 jobs monthly over the last six months. Although this represents a decrease from the average of 207,000 jobs per month during the prior six months, it is sufficiently robust to maintain the unemployment rate at historically low levels.

A significant portion of the job growth in December occurred in sectors like health care and government, which are typically shielded from economic fluctuations. Nevertheless, cyclical sectors such as restaurants and retail also included tens of thousands of job additions in December. Construction, often sensitive to elevated interest rates, also saw an increase of 8,000 jobs last month.

In contrast, the manufacturing sector remains a weak point, with factories losing 13,000 jobs in December.

Salaries continue to grow, albeit at a slower pace

Employers are facing less pressure to compete for talent compared to two or three years ago, resulting in a gradual slowdown of wage increases. In December, average wages were up 3.9% from the previous year, compared to a 4% yearly rise from the month before.

Even though wage growth is not as rapid as before, it continues to outstrip inflation, allowing workers’ earnings to go further amidst ongoing inflation concerns for numerous households.

Wages have risen faster than consumer prices consistently for each of the 19 months through November, and inflation figures expected next week are likely to show this trend persisted in December.

The Federal Reserve is not rushing to lower interest rates

After elevating interest rates to a two-decade high to combat inflation, the Federal Reserve has reduced rates by a full percentage point since September. However, with inflation remaining stubbornly above its 2% target, the central bank has indicated that it will likely proceed cautiously with any further rate cuts. Moreover, Friday’s employment report will only reinforce that caution.

In determining interest rates, the Fed aims to maintain a balance between rates sufficient to contain inflation but not so elevated as to cause job losses. Should the job market weaken significantly, the central bank would encounter increased pressure to lower rates. However, the strong employment figures from December suggest that the Fed can afford to be patient.

The expectation that interest rates will remain elevated for a longer duration disappointed investors. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted over 600 points in the initial 90 minutes of trading on Friday.

The economic future remains uncertain

While the employment market remains robust and inflation has gradually subsided, political transitions in Washington have introduced additional uncertainty to the economic outlook. President-elect Trump has pledged tax reductions and deregulation, which could spur economic expansion but might also revive inflationary pressures. Heightened tariffs and strict immigration regulations could further drive up prices.

The extent of these changes is still unclear. Thus, entrepreneurs and Federal Reserve decision-makers are in a wait-and-watch situation as the new year and a new administration commence.