#USJobsData December's US Jobs Data showed a strong finish to 2024, with the economy adding 256,000 jobs, exceeding expectations of 160,000. The unemployment rate also dropped to 4.1% from 4.2% in November. This marks the largest monthly job growth since March 2023.

Key Highlights:

- Job Growth: 256,000 new jobs added in December, driven by healthcare (+46,000), retail (+43,000), and leisure and hospitality (+43,000) sectors.

- Unemployment Rate: Decreased to 4.1% from 4.2% in November.

- Wage Growth: Average hourly earnings rose 0.3% month-over-month and 3.9% year-over-year.

- Labor Force Participation Rate: Remained steady at 62.5%.

The strong job market is expected to influence the Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates, with traders now predicting less than a 50% chance of a rate cut until June [5][6.