December’s job report showed robust growth, surpassing expectations, with various sectors of the U.S. economy contributing to the gains. Health-care and social assistance jobs experienced the most significant increase for the third consecutive month, adding 69,500 jobs to payrolls, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. When including private education, the growth in the health-care sector would have reached 80,000 jobs.
Retail trade and leisure and hospitality followed with substantial gains of 43,400 and 43,000 jobs, respectively. Retail trade encompasses jobs both inside and outside stores, involving sales to consumers or businesses and post-sale services like repair and installation, as per the BLS.
Government jobs also saw growth, adding 33,000 positions in December. Julia Pollak, ZipRecruiter’s chief economist, noted that job growth had been concentrated in government and health care but appeared to be diversifying.
Retail trade rebounded significantly from losses in November, with notable increases in categories like clothing, accessories, and general merchandise retailers. Pollak emphasized that this growth trend reflects positive developments in the retail sector.
Manufacturing experienced a decline, shedding 13,000 jobs in December, in contrast to the notable growth seen in November. Mining and logging, as well as wholesale trade, also reversed course from the previous month, with employment decreases of 3,000 and 3,500 positions, respectively.
Professional and business services, along with financial activities, continued to show strength, adding jobs in December. Pollak highlighted positive trends in vehicle sales and consumer spending, indicating a potential recovery taking hold in the labor market.
