US job growth slows as employers add 50,000 jobs, unemployment rate falls to 4.4% after weak year for hiring

US employers added a modest 50,000 jobs, capping a year marked by consistently weak hiring momentum. The latest data underscore a labour market that has cooled significantly compared with the robust gains seen in earlier.

Despite the soft job growth, the unemployment rate fell to 4.4%, suggesting that fewer people are actively seeking work even as hiring remains subdued.

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