US Job Growth Slows: Indian Stock Market Braces for Monday Impact!

• US added only 50,000 new jobs in December, less than the estimated 55,000, signaling sluggishness in the world's largest economy.
• This marks 2025 as the weakest year for employment growth since the pandemic, excluding recession years, due to trade/immigration policies, inflation, and high interest rates.
• Unemployment rate decreased from 4.6% to 4.4% in December, but many were forced into part-time roles due to weak business conditions.
• Hospitality and healthcare sectors showed growth, adding 47,000 and 21,100 jobs respectively, while retail and construction saw job losses.
• Long-term unemployment remains high at 1.9 million, indicating ongoing challenges in the US labor market.

Why It Matters: Slower US job growth in December could negatively impact India's stock market on Monday.