US Economy Adds 216,000 Jobs in December, More Than Expected

The labor market cooldown trend remains intact, says an economist.

A hiring sign at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City shopping mall in Arlington, Va., on Jan 3, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

The U.S. economy added 216,000 new jobs in December 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That was better than the 170,000 predicted by economists and more than November’s gain.

Job gains in both October and November of last year were revised downward. Employment in those months is now 71,000 lower than previously reported, according to the agency.