US adds surprisingly strong 256K jobs in December — dimming hopes for Fed rate cuts

1. US added 256,000 jobs in December, exceeding expectations of 153,000. 2. Unemployment rate edged down to 4.1%, supporting the case for sustained interest rates. 3. Stocks dipped 0.8% after the report, influencing trader sentiments on Fed actions. 4. Higher-than-expected jobs point to a resilient labor market amid elevated rates. 5. Hourly earnings grew by 0.3%, indicating potential inflationary pressures persist.