U.S., 2025년 고용 성장 거의 없음

Source: Hacker News

Revised Job Growth Figures

Preliminary data had indicated that the U.S. economy added 584,000 jobs in 2025. After receiving additional state data, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) revised that figure to 181,000 jobs for the entire year—far fewer than the 1.46 million jobs added in 2024.

• In January 2026, hiring increased by 130,000 roles, well above the 55,000 economists had expected.
• The unemployment rate fell from 4.4 % to 4.3 % in January.

The BLS also subtracted 862,000 jobs from the March 2024 – March 2025 period as part of its annual revisions. For 2025, the revisions show that the labor market contracted in four months (January, June, August, and October), whereas earlier data had shown losses in only three months.

Sector Highlights

Job seekers in Boone, N.C., in 2025. / Allison Joyce / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Political Implications

The revised figures complicate the narrative for President Donald Trump and Republicans as they head into the 2026 midterm elections. Polls show that the president’s approval rating on the economy has declined, while consumer sentiment has been poor, especially regarding the jobs market.

Market Reactions

• Treasury bonds fell in early trading on Wednesday, and yields rose.
• Futures markets indicate that traders do not expect a Federal Reserve rate cut until July at the earliest.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell noted that last year’s hiring numbers were likely overstated:

“We think there’s an overstatement in these numbers by about 60,000, so that would be negative 20,000 per month,” Powell said at a Dec. 10 press conference.
“I think you can say that the labor market has continued to cool gradually, maybe just a touch more gradually than we thought.”

References

• NBC News – Trump’s approval rating takes hit in first year back in office
• Reuters – U.S. consumer sentiment improves modestly in February 2026