US: Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 148,000 in December

Eren Sengezer FXStreet

"Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 148,000 in December, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.1 percent," the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced on Friday.

Key highlights

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 148,000 in December. Job gains occurred in health care, construction, and manufacturing.

In December, the unemployment rate was 4.1 percent for the third consecutive month.

The number of unemployed persons, at 6.6 million, was essentially unchanged over the month.

The labor force participation rate, at 62.7 percent, was unchanged over the month and over the year.

The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls was unchanged at 34.5 hours in December.

In December, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 9 cents to $26.63.

Over the year, average hourly earnings have risen by 65 cents, or 2.5 percent.

Author

Eren Sengezer

FXStreet

As an economist at heart, Eren Sengezer specializes in the assessment of the short-term and long-term impacts of macroeconomic data, central bank policies and political developments on financial assets.

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