December employment situation holds steady

The Employment Situation Report released Friday morning showed the unemployment rate was unchanged for the month of December, holding steady at 7.8%.

The data from the Department of Labor showed a gain of 155,000 jobs, slightly higher than the consensus forecast.

Construction employment rose by 30,000 in December, with gains in construction of buildings (+13,000) and in residential specialty trade contractors (+12,000), according to the report. Other areas of employment gains were health care, food services and drinking places, and manufacturing. 

In 2012, job gains averaged 153,000 per month, the same as in 2011.