Before the strong December jobs report was released, the odds were already low for an interest rate cut in the next Federal Reserve decision on January 29.

The surprising 256,000 increase in new jobs in December and a declining unemployment rate is good news, but the latest employment reports masks recent softness in the labor market. The increase in new jobs in December, for example, was centered on just four industries: Health care, government, retail and leisure and hospitality.

Key Takeaways The odds of the Federal Reserve cutting its benchmark interest rate this year fell after a jobs report Friday showed hiring in December blew past expectations.Strong job growth means less pressure on the Fed to cut interest rates to save the economy and prevent layoffs.

US job growth surged in December, surpassing expectations. The services sector drove gains, but wage growth slightly slowed. Click for more on the December jobs report.

Soaring payroll growth and low unemployment in December are more than likely to keep the Federal Reserve from cutti

A hot December jobs report has many strategists confident the Federal Reserve will hold off on further interest rate cuts for now. And some on Wall Street think this report may have even cracked the door open for the Fed to consider rate hikes in 2025.

The Labor Department reported that employers added 256,000 jobs in December. Unemployment drops to 4.1%. Read the implications of this report on the Fed policy.

Friday’s unexpectedly big increase in December nonfarm payrolls led to a diminished market-based likelihood for any rate cut by the Federal Reserve until September, based on one method of calculating expectations — and one big bank sees the risks tilting toward a rate hike.

The U.S. dollar rallied across the board on Friday after data showed the world's largest economy created more jobs than expected last month, reinforcing expectations that the Federal Reserve will pause its rate-cutting cycle at its policy meeting later this month.

US employers added a surprisingly strong 256,000 jobs in December — dimming hopes that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates anytime soon. The blowout number from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics — a massive jump from the month before as hiring rebounded from strikes and major hurricanes — pushed back traders’ bets for the central bank to cut rates to October versus a previous consensus in June or July,