Economy sees strong job growth for December
The U.S. economy added 312,000 jobs in December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
The largest job gains occurred in health care, food services, construction, manufacturing, and retail.
The unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point to 3.9% in December, as the number of unemployed persons increased by 276,000 to 6.3 million. A year earlier, the jobless rate was 4.1%, and the number of unemployed persons was 6.6 million.
The number of job leavers among the unemployed increased by 142,000 in December to 839,000. Job leavers are defined as unemployed persons who quit or voluntarily left their previous job and immediately began looking for new employment.
Construction employment rose by 38,000 in December, with job gains in heavy and civil engineering construction and nonresidential specialty trade construction. The construction industry added 280,000 jobs in 2018, compared with an increase of 250,000 in 2017.
Manufacturing added 32,000 jobs in December. Most of the gain occurred in the durable goods component, with job growth in fabricated metal products and in computer and electronic products. Manufacturing employment increased by 284,000 over the year, with about three-fourths of the gain in durable goods industries. Manufacturing had added 207,000 jobs in 2017.
Employment in retail trade rose by 24,000. Job growth primarily occurred in general merchandise stores and automobile dealers. These gains were partially offset by a job loss in sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores. Retail trade employment increased by 92,000 in 2018, after little net change in 2017, the bureau reported.
Jobs in other major industries, including mining, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, information, financial activities, and government, showed little change over the month.
The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased by 0.1 hour to 34.5 hours in December. In manufacturing, both the workweek and overtime increased by 0.1 hour to 40.9 hours and 3.6 hours. The average workweek for production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm payrolls held at 33.7 hours.
Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose 11 cents to $27.48. Over the year, average hourly earnings have increased by 84 cents, or 3.2%. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees increased by 9 cents to $23.05 in December.
The largest job gains occurred in health care, food services, construction, manufacturing, and retail.
The unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point to 3.9% in December, as the number of unemployed persons increased by 276,000 to 6.3 million. A year earlier, the jobless rate was 4.1%, and the number of unemployed persons was 6.6 million.
The number of job leavers among the unemployed increased by 142,000 in December to 839,000. Job leavers are defined as unemployed persons who quit or voluntarily left their previous job and immediately began looking for new employment.
Construction employment rose by 38,000 in December, with job gains in heavy and civil engineering construction and nonresidential specialty trade construction. The construction industry added 280,000 jobs in 2018, compared with an increase of 250,000 in 2017.
Manufacturing added 32,000 jobs in December. Most of the gain occurred in the durable goods component, with job growth in fabricated metal products and in computer and electronic products. Manufacturing employment increased by 284,000 over the year, with about three-fourths of the gain in durable goods industries. Manufacturing had added 207,000 jobs in 2017.
Employment in retail trade rose by 24,000. Job growth primarily occurred in general merchandise stores and automobile dealers. These gains were partially offset by a job loss in sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores. Retail trade employment increased by 92,000 in 2018, after little net change in 2017, the bureau reported.
Jobs in other major industries, including mining, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, information, financial activities, and government, showed little change over the month.
The average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased by 0.1 hour to 34.5 hours in December. In manufacturing, both the workweek and overtime increased by 0.1 hour to 40.9 hours and 3.6 hours. The average workweek for production and nonsupervisory employees on private nonfarm payrolls held at 33.7 hours.
Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose 11 cents to $27.48. Over the year, average hourly earnings have increased by 84 cents, or 3.2%. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees increased by 9 cents to $23.05 in December.