Non-farm payrolls slow after robust end to 2024, wage growth strong

(Sharecast News) - US hiring slowed by more than anticipated at the start of 2025, albeit after a sharp rise at the end of the previous year. According to the US Department of Labor, in seasonally adjusted terms non-farm payrolls grew by 143,000 during the month of January.

That followed an upwardly revised gain of 307,000 for December.

The previous month's estimate had previously been estimated at 257,000.

Combined, November and December's tallies for payrolls were marked up by 100,000.

Average hourly earnings growth came in noticeably ahead of economists of forecasts at up by 0.5% month-on-month (consensus: 0.3%).

The rate of unemployment meanwhile, which is derived from a different survey than the payrolls figures, ticked lower by one tenth of a percentage point to 4.0%.

-- More to follow --