The December employment data has been released. This is what it could indicate for the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting.

December Employment Data and Federal Reserve Outlook

The latest employment report for December revealed job growth that was below forecasts, yet a drop in the unemployment rate may prompt the Federal Reserve to maintain current interest rates at its upcoming meeting. Despite this, many investors remain optimistic that there will be at least two reductions in rates before the year ends.

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showed that nonfarm payrolls increased by 50,000 last month, which was less than the anticipated 55,000 new positions. Additionally, previous job numbers were revised downward: October's figures were adjusted by 68,000, from a loss of 105,000 to a loss of 173,000, and November's job growth was revised from 64,000 to 56,000, a decrease of 8,000.