US Payrolls Rise a Below-Forecast 50,000, Unemployment Lower

US employers added fewer jobs than expected in December, capping a yearlong slowdown in the labor market defined by cautious hiring and limited layoffs.

Nonfarm payrolls increased 50,000 last month after downward revisions to the prior two months, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data out Friday. The unemployment rate edged down to 4.4%, settling back after the record-long government shutdown.