Economics
Forget About Repeating 2018’s Strong Job Gains, Economists Say
- Growth in employment, wages are forecast to moderate in 2019
- December payrolls estimate is lowest in almost a year
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As the U.S. wraps up a year of surprisingly strong job growth, such gains are unlikely to repeat in the next 12 months with economic headwinds intensifying for the country and rest of the world.
The final report for 2018 is forecast to show employers added 180,000 jobs in December to cap a 2.45 million annual increase, the most since 2015 -- but the monthly estimate is the lowest median projection since last January. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expect that to slow in 2019 to an average monthly pace of 156,000, for a 1.87 million total followed by 1.44 million in 2020, when President Donald Trump is up for re-election.