This Week In The Economy: Surprisingly Strong December US Jobs Report, Fed To Adopt Cautious Monetary Policy Stance In 2025

Welcome to a regular snapshot review of U.S. and international economic news that aims to 1) provide a window into the challenges and decisions facing businesses today, 2) determine the direction of economic policy — such as the speed at which central banks decide to raise interest rates, and 3) assess what the impact will be for consumers.

Strong U.S. December Jobs Report, Unemployment Rate Dips

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported this week that U.S. employment growth surged by 256,000 in December — far exceeding most economists’ expectations, while unemployment rate declined to 4.1% from 4.2% in November.

The change in total nonfarm payroll employment for October was revised up by 7,000, from +36,000 to +43,000, and the change for November was revised down by 15,000, from +227,000 to +212,000. With these revisions, employment in October and November combined is 8,000 lower
than previously reported.