Prices rose 2.7% in December from a year ago, a sign that inflation continues rising but in line with the pace seen in recent months.

Economists expect the December CPI inflation report to show price growth remained elevated and cautioned it may have a downward bias due to missing data from the government shutdown.

2025 was marked by relatively strong job growth in the first few months, followed by cooling, with some months showing net job losses after revisions.

Employers across the U.S. added 50,000 jobs in December, capping a year of muted job growth that saw employers pull back on hiring amid economic uncertainty. The monthly job gains were below the 55,000 forecast by economists, according to a poll by FactSet.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its jobs report, showing that the US added 50,000 jobs in December, and the unemployment rate dropped to 4.4%.

The U.S. government posted a $145 billion budget deficit ‌for December, up 67% or $58 billion from a year earlier due to record outlays that were inflated by calendar shifts in benefit payments and receipts,

A jobs report to be released on Friday will provide a key gauge of the health of the U.S. economy as the Federal Reserve slashes interest rates in an effort to revive an ailing labor market. The fresh data comes two weeks after a blockbuster report on economic growth appeared to rebuke worries about the wider economy.