US adds huge 312,000 jobs in December; unemployment rises to 3.9%

Washington, Jan 4: US job creation rocketed higher last month, a jolt of unexpected good news for President Donald Trump as his economic agenda comes under increasing strain.

Employers added a whopping 312,000 positions for the month, smashing economists' expectations, and wages rose steadily, gaining 3.2 percent for the year.

The unemployment rate ticked up by two-tenths of a point to 3.9 percent, but that was due mostly to more workers joining the job hunt, according to the closely-watched report.

And net job gains in October and November were revised up a combined 58,000, the Labor Department said.

The blockbuster US jobs numbers starkly contrasted with the mounting fears for the global economy of recent weeks -- which have seen stock prices tumble and confidence wane among corporations who foresee slowing demand and weakening sales in 2019.

(AFP/APP)