U.S. Employers Add 312,000 Jobs In December Blowing Out Expectations, Unemployment Rate Up to 3.9%
By Megan Henney, Fox Business // January 4, 2019
ABOVE VIDEO: National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow on the December jobs report and the outlook for the U.S. economy.
(FOX BUSINESS) – U.S. employers added 312,000 jobs in December, blowing past Wall Street’s expectations for an increase of 177,000 jobs, even on the heels of a tumultuous month for the markets that saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 post their worst performance since the Great Depression.
The unemployment rate rose to 3.9 percent, while the labor force participation rate also rose slightly to 63.1 percent from 62.9 percent during the month. Average hourly earnings meanwhile rose by 11 cents to $27.48. Over the year, average hourly earnings have increased by a total of 84 cents, or about 3.2 percent.
Although experts categorized the gains as unsustainable, they also said it meant an economic recession may not occur as soon as once believed.
“The U.S. economy will eventually fall into recession, maybe as soon as next year, but the December employment report indicates that this isn’t going to happen anytime soon,” said David Berson, the chief economist at Nationwide.
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