U.S. December Employment Statistics: Employment Increased 50,000 from Previous Month, But Below Market Expectations

 Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

米 12月雇用統計 就業者は前月比5万人増も市場予想下回る

2026年1月9日午後11時13分

(2026年1月9日午後11時54分更新)

アメリカ

円相場や株価に影響を及ぼすアメリカの雇用統計が発表され、先月の農業分野以外の就業者は、前の月から5万人増加しましたが、市場予想を下回りました。一方、失業率は前の月と比べて0.1ポイント改善し、4.4％でした。

アメリカ労働省が9日、発表した先月の雇用統計によりますと、景気の動向を敏感に示す農業分野以外の就業者は、前の月から5万人増加しましたが市場の予想を下回りました。

また、去年10月分のデータが下方修正され、前の月と比べて10万5000人の減少から17万3000人の減少になりました。

一方、先月の失業率は、0.1ポイント改善し、4.4％でした。

失業率は去年7月以降、上昇傾向が続いていましたが、この傾向にひとまず歯止めがかかりました。

雇用統計はFRB＝連邦準備制度理事会が金融政策を判断するうえで重要な指標で、金融市場ではFRBのパウエル議長が今後の利下げは慎重に判断していく考えを示していることなどから、今月下旬に開く会合で金利を据え置くとの見方が広がっています。

FRBが、今回の雇用統計などを踏まえて減速傾向と指摘されている雇用情勢をどう判断するかが焦点となります。

Translation

U.S. December Employment Statistics: Employment Increased 50,000 from Previous Month, But Below Market Expectations

January 9, 2026, 11:13 PM

(Updated January 9, 2026, 11:54 PM)

U.S.

The U.S. employment statistics which affected the yen and stock prices had been released. Last month's non-agricultural employment increased by 50,000 from the previous month, but below market expectations. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate improved 0.1 percentage point to 4.4%.

According to last month's employment statistics released by the U.S. Department of Labor on the 9th, non-agricultural employment, a sensitive indicator of economic trends, increased by 50,000 from the previous month, but below market expectations.

Additionally, data for October last year was revised downward, from a decrease of 105,000 from the previous month to a decrease of 173,000.

Meanwhile, last month's unemployment rate improved 0.1 percentage point to 4.4%.

The unemployment rate had been on an upward trend since July of last year, but this trend has now been halted for the time being.

Employment statistics were an important indicator used by the Federal Reserve when deciding on monetary policy, and with Fed Chairman Powell indicating that he would be cautious about future interest rate cuts, there was a widespread view in financial markets that interest rates could remain unchanged at their meeting later this month.

The focus would be on how the Fed was going to assess the employment situation, which had been noted to be slowing, in light of the latest employment statistics and other factors.

              So, the U.S. employment statistics which shows that last month's non-agricultural employment had increased by 50,000 from the previous month yet below market expectations. Apparently, people will now focus on how the Fed is going to judge the employment situation when deciding whether there should be a cut in the interest rate.