The U.S. economy added just 50,000 jobs in December, capping off the worst year for hiring since 2020, when the Covid pandemic brought the global economy to a standstill. Save for 2020, last year ranks as the poorest year for job creation since 2009 and the global financial crisis.

Stocks opened higher Friday as investors digested the latest data on the US labor market. The Dow rose 171 points, or 0.35%. The S&P 500 gained 0.2%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite edged higher but was relatively flat.

Labor Department awards nearly $14 million to Delaware Country Community College and Massachusetts Maritime Academy to train American shipbuilders for a new program.

According to a November 2025 report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Texas economy set new records for the number of Texans working and the size of the Texas labor force.

A jobs report to be released on Friday will provide a key gauge of the health of the U.S. economy as the Federal Reserve slashes interest rates in an effort to revive an ailing labor market. The fresh data comes two weeks after a blockbuster report on economic growth appeared to rebuke worries about the wider economy.

As economists pointed to some of the president’s policies to explain the latest Labor Department data, White House aides sought to make the case for optimism in the new year.

U.S. filings for unemployment benefits rose in the last week of 2025 but remain historically low, despite signs that the labor market is weakening.

Wall Street closed mostly lower as markets had a difficult time finding clear direction on Wednesday as traders and investors assessed the latest labor data. The tech-focused Nasdaq Composite (COMP:IND) closed higher by 0.