January jobs report: Unemployment drops and wages rise - but hiring is lower than expected
U.S. employers added just 143,000 jobs last month, but the jobless rate slipped to 4% to start 2025 and the government revised November and December payrolls higher. January job creation was down from 307,000 in December and 263,000 in November. Economists had expected about 170,000 new jobs in January.