Released on Friday, January 9, 2026, by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), it came in weaker than expected overall, reflecting the continued slowdown in the labor market throughout 2025.
Key results (actual vs. forecast):
Nonfarm Payrolls: Only +50 thousand jobs added
(Consensus forecast: around 60-73 thousand, some estimates at 66 thousand). This is lower than the previous month (November: +56 thousand after downward revision).
Unemployment rate: decreased to 4.4%
(Forecast: 4.5%, previous: 4.6%). This slight improvement comes despite weak employment, thanks to factors such as a slight decline in labor force participation.
Average hourly wage growth:
Monthly: +0.3% (in line with expectations).
Annually: +3.8% (slightly above expectations, above inflation rate ~3%).
Revisions for previous months:
October 2025: Revised downward to -173 thousand (instead of -105 thousand).
November 2025: Revised downward to +56 thousand (instead of +64 thousand).
Total revisions: -76 thousand jobs for the two months combined, making the picture weaker.
General summary for 2025:
Total jobs added: only +584 thousand (average monthly ~49 thousand).
Compared to 2024: Sharp decline (was +2 million jobs, average ~168 thousand monthly).
2025 is considered the worst year for employment since 2003 (outside of recession periods), with hiring concentrated in sectors such as healthcare and hospitality, while losses occurred in retail, manufacturing, and the federal government (due to downsizing policies).
