US adds 216,000 jobs in December, better than expected
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) -- U.S. employers hired more workers than expected in December.
"We should not bet against the American consumer, and you should not bet against the American economy," Clement Jackson, White House economic advisor said.
216,000 jobs were added last month, the latest sign the American labor market remains resilient even in the face of still-high interest rates.
Hotels, restaurants, and other businesses in the hospitality sector added 40,000 jobs in December.
"This is above the kinds of job growth you need to accommodate population growth, so this is a healthy number," he added.
President Joe Biden called 2023 a great year for the American worker.
"I won’t stop fighting for American workers and American families."
While the White House welcomes the news of a positive jobs report, many Americans say they are not feeling the effects.
"We've had energy prices, gas prices that are up close to 40% or more under Biden's administration, " Richard Stern with the Heritage Foundation said.
Stern says he doesn't believe the numbers. "It's a lot of government propaganda. So, if you dig under the hood, what you find is actually about half the jobs or more are directly the result of government spending," he said.
Mark Hamrick with Bankrate says despite the positive economic news there's still some uncertainty ahead.
"Just look at what's going on in the Middle East, not only with a potential disruption in oil supply but also broadly supply chain disruptions given the importance of the Red Sea," he said.
Hamrick says he believes the Federal Reserve will start lowering interest rates this year.