Analysts had expected 70,000 new jobs, according to a Bloomberg News report. Last month's figure was revised down to 56,000 from a previous estimate of 64,000.
Unemployment fell to 4.4 percent from 4.6 percent in November. It had been expected to fall to 4.5 percent.
US stock futures strengthened on the announcement and pointed slightly higher as the probability of more interest-rate cuts in the US increased after the weaker-than-expected jobs figure. The Stockholm Stock Exchange also reacted slightly positively immediately after the figures were published.
For the full year 2025, 584,000 new jobs were created in the United States. According to Bloomberg News, this is the lowest figure since 2020.
