The U.S. labor market cooled substantially in 2024, as employers sharply curtailed hiring and workers faced increasing difficulty finding jobs, although there are no signs of a recession.

Payrolls: 256,000 jobs added in December vs. 153,000 expected, according to economists surveyed by FactSet. Unemployment rate: 4.1%, down from 4.2% in November. Revisions: October

The U.S. added 256,000 jobs and the unemployment rate ticked down to 4.1 percent in December, according to data released Friday by the Labor Department. The December jobs report showed the U.S.

The December jobs report is set to be released later Friday morning and it's expected to show slowing growth. According to a survey of forecasters by the data firm FactSet, U.S. employers are expected to have added 153,