Key Takeaways Nearly four in ten job seekers said work opportunities were steady in the new year, according to a new survey.The survey results were split nearly evenly over whether job opportunities would improve within the next six months,

The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits fell to an 11-month low last week, pointing to a stable labor market, though a slowdown in hiring has led some laid-off workers to experience long bouts of joblessness.

Jobs data for December will add to ongoing mixed signals in the U.S. labor market. Analysts surveyed by Dow Jones expect 155,000 jobs added on the month, down from 227,000 in November, with the unemployment rate expected to have remained unchanged at 4.

Key Takeaways Job seekers found getting hired to be more difficult in 2024, as employers announced the fewest hiring plans since 2015, according to a new report.The Challenger, Gray & Christmas report on hiring and layoffs painted a familiar picture of the job market,

US employers likely added a healthy number of jobs in December and the unemployment rate was unchanged, showcasing a labor market that for another year defied expectations for a sharper slowdown.

Economists expect the latest jobs report to show the labor market continued to cool in December but not enough to prompt a Federal Reserve interest rate cut in January.