A restaurant displays a ‘hiring’ sign in its window in Manhattan on Dec. 16, 2025, in New York City.
Spencer Platt | Getty Images
The U.S. November jobs report has something for everybody.
Those convinced of weakness will highlight the higher-than-expected unemployment rate as well as the number of jobs shrinking in October.
On the other hand, proponents of a strong economy will focus on jobs growth in November beating estimates, and point out that the increase in the unemployment rate was mostly because the labor force grew, as CNBC’s Jeff Cox noted.
Without any definitive judgment that can be made on the state of the labor market, traders left their bets on interest rate cuts in January mostly unchanged. It’s currently at 25.5%, around one percentage point higher than before the release of the November jobs report, according to the CME FedWatch tool.
“Today’s data paints a picture of an economy catching its breath,” said Gina Bolvin, president at Bolvin Wealth Management Group. “Job growth is holding on, but cracks are forming. Consumers are still standing, but not sprinting.”
That ambivalence was reflected in markets as well. Major U.S. indexes were mixed: The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.24% and 0.62% respectively, while the Nasdaq Composite registered a mild gain of 0.23%, thanks to Tesla stock closing at an all-time high.
Whether you’re a bull or a bear, Tuesday’s tea leaves will show you what you want to see — but beware confirmation bias.
What you need to know today
The S&P 500 fell for a third consecutive session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also retreated Tuesday stateside, but the Nasdaq Composite ticked up. Europe’s Stoxx 600 dropped 0.47% with defense stocks among the biggest losers.
U.S. jobs growth beats estimates. Nonfarm payrolls increased a seasonally adjusted 64,000 in November, better than the 45,000 forecast by a Dow Jones estimate. However, the unemployment rate unexpectedly ticked up to 4.6%, the highest since September 2021.
Tesla stock closes at record high. After rising 3.1% on Tuesday, Tesla shares ended the trading session at $489.88, putting it 21% higher for the year. Investors were cheering CEO Elon Musk’s confirmation that the company has been testing driverless robotaxis.
Trump orders blockade of sanctioned oil tankers to and from Venezuela. “The Venezuelan Regime has been designated a FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION,” the U.S. president wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday stateside.
[PRO] An eyewear brand as an AI winner? Citibank reiterated their “buy” rating on this name on Monday, saying that it will be a leader in the AI glasses market — which will grow more than 100% annually until 2034, the bank added.
And finally…
Candidates prepare to take the written test of public subjects for the 2025 exam for civil servants at Nanjing Forestry University in East China’s Jiangsu Province, on December 8, 2024.
Costfoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images
Why China’s young are flocking to government jobs in record numbers
As many as 3.7 million applicants nationwide, including graduates from the country’s top universities, sat for China’s annual civil service exam last month. But only one in about 100 is expected to secure a place among the 38,100 entry-level government roles, starting next year.
Many were willing to take those odds as private job prospects dim amid an economic slump and worsening business sentiment. Unemployment among 16- to 24-year-old urbanites in China has stayed above 17% since July, compared to around 10% in the U.S.
— Anniek Bao
