U.S. Added Just 50,000 Jobs In December, Entertainment Industry Employment Falls

Group 1 - Employers added only 50,000 jobs in December, indicating a hiring slowdown despite economic growth [1] - The unemployment rate decreased slightly to 4.4%, with job gains primarily in food services, drinking places, health care, and social assistance, while retail trade lost 25,000 jobs [2] - The U.S. is experiencing a "hiring recession," with minimal hiring outside of healthcare and hospitality, marking 2025 as the worst year for hiring outside of a recession since 2003 [3] Group 2 - The gross domestic product grew at an annualized rate of 4.3% in the third quarter, significantly exceeding expectations [4] - The Bureau of Labor Statistics revised previous job figures, reporting a loss of 173,000 jobs in October and a gain of 56,000 in November [4] - Average hourly earnings increased by 12 cents, or 0.3%, to $37.02 in December, with a year-over-year increase of 3.8% [4]