Getty Images The U.S. labor market beat expectations again in December, adding 216,000 jobs to close out the year while the unemployment rate held steady at 3.7%. Yet the job gains were slower than the same period a year ago, with the three-month average gain dropping to 165,000 a month compared to an average of 284,000 in December 2022, according to Nick Bunker, director of economic research for North America at Indeed Hiring Lab. "After entering 2023 with a sonic boom, the US job market is headed into 2024 at a comfortable cruising speed," Bunker said. "The pace of job creation is strong but not overwhelming, unemployment is low…
