Mixed December jobs report caps off sluggish year for employers, workers

December's jobs report, released on Friday, caps off a sluggish year for employers and workers. The U.S. economy only added 50,000 jobs last month, making 2025 the worst year for job gains since 2020. But it's not all bad news. The unemployment rate dropped to 4.4% in December, marking a downward swing after rising to a four-year high in November.