(Reuters) - U.S. job growth unexpectedly accelerated in December while the unemployment rate fell to 4.1% from November's 4.2% as the labor market ended 2024 on a solid footing, reinforcing the Federal Reserve's cautious approach to interest rate cuts this year.

The latest U.S. payroll data has shifted market expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts, with traders now forecasting a single reduction in October 2025, according to Bloomberg. Earlier projections suggested a

US employers added a surprisingly strong 256,000 jobs in December — dimming hopes that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates anytime soon. The blowout number from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics — a massive jump from the month before as hiring rebounded from strikes and major hurricanes — pushed back traders’ bets for the central bank to cut rates to October versus a previous consensus in June or July,

Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman on Thursday said she supported last month's interest-rate cut as the "final step" in the U.S. central bank's monetary policy recalibration, with rising inflation risks dictating a cautious approach ahead.