US job growth slows in December as unemployment dips, strengthening case for Fed pause

US job growth slowed in December with only 50,000 jobs added, missing expectations, as construction, retail, and manufacturing sectors shed jobs. Unemployment rate fell to 4.4 percent, while wage growth remained firm at 3.8 percent year on year, supporting consumer spending. Economists cite trade policies and AI investment as factors behind sluggish hiring, with the Fed expected to keep rates unchanged.