JOBS REPORT US jobs market blows past expectations, adding 256,000 jobs in December NYSE American - Delayed Quote • USD AVANTIS ALL INTERNATIONAL MARKE (^AVNM-EU) Follow 105.87 -0.23 (-0.22%) As of 8:00:16 AM EST. Market Open. Related News Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq sink as jobs report blows past expectations Caution reigns ahead of December's jobs report, which will shape bets on the chances of Fed rate cuts. US labor market finishes 2024 on high note, adding 256,000 jobs in December as unemployment falls to 4.1% December's jobs report will be the final look at the labor market before the Federal Reserve announces its next interest rate decision on Jan. 31. Why investors will 'regret' not owning small caps in 2025 Essex Investment Management co-CEO and senior portfolio manager Nancy Prial joins Market Domination Overtime to discuss why investors should consider adding small caps (^RUT) to their portfolios despite current market pressure on this sector. "We know it's been a very tough slog. Clearly, small caps are out of favor," she tells Yahoo Finance. However, she believes investors will "regret" not owning them in 2025. Prial cites "a combination" of valuation and earnings growth: "Those two conditions are what will turn this somewhat historic underperformance cycle around." Regarding interest rate cuts, Prial emphasizes that small caps need "rate stabilization" rather than rate cuts to outperform. "If the 10-year is going to continue to go up ... that's going to be a headwind not only to small caps, [but] to the market overall," she explains. She adds that if rates stay in the 4 to 4.5% range, "that's an environment where small caps have prospered in the past." To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Market Domination Overtime here. This post was written by Angel Smith Stocks Open Lower as Bond Yields Rise After Strong December Jobs Data Stocks opened lower on Friday after strong U.S. jobs data sent bond yields spiking. The Nasdaq Composite was down 1.9%. The Labor Department said the U.S. economy added 256,000 jobs in December, which was well ahead of economists' expectations at 153,000 jobs, according to FactSet. Strong US Jobs Report Backs Case for Pause in Fed Rate Cuts (Bloomberg) -- The US economy in December added the most jobs since March and the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell, capping a surprisingly strong year and supporting the case for a pause in Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts.Most Read from BloombergWhat Robotaxis Brought San FranciscoNYC Condo Owners May Bear Costs of Landmark Green Building LawAmbitious High-Speed Rail Plans Advance in the Baltic RegionNYC’s Subway Violence Deters Drive to Bring Workers Back to OfficeDutch Central Bank Resto S&P 500 Wipes Out 2025 Gains on Big Jobs Surprise: Markets Wrap (Bloomberg) -- Stocks got hammered and bond yields jumped with the dollar as traders slashed their bets for Federal Reserve rate cuts this year after a blowout jobs report.Most Read from BloombergWhat Robotaxis Brought San FranciscoNYC Condo Owners May Bear Costs of Landmark Green Building LawAmbitious High-Speed Rail Plans Advance in the Baltic RegionNYC’s Subway Violence Deters Drive to Bring Workers Back to OfficeDutch Central Bank Restores Amsterdam’s ‘Ugliest Building’Equities erased their Fed members' outlooks reset bets on interest rate cuts in 2025 Two Fed governors offer their views on how fast and deep the central bank should cut interest rates. The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights PRN, IGV, VAW, PAVE and KBE PRN, IGV, VAW, PAVE and KBE are part of the Zacks top Analyst Blog. Surprising Dec US payrolls jump supports longer Fed pause Nonfarm payrolls increased by 256,000 jobs last month after rising by a downwardly revised 212,000 in November, the Labor Department said on Friday. "At this point in the cycle, earnings will need to improve – and not just within the large tech companies – in order to have markets “grow into” their already high valuations, so we would be cautious in the short term." Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights Intel, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments, NVIDIA and SUMCO Intel, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments, NVIDIA and SUMCO are part of the Zacks Industry Outlook article. Traders Digest Strong Jobs Growth as US Equity Futures Drop Pre-Bell US equity futures were lower before Friday's opening bell as traders digested the December jobs repo Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights Flutter Entertainment, GameStop and GDEV Flutter Entertainment, GameStop and GDEV are part of the Zacks Industry Outlook article. Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights Ralph Lauren, V.F., Under Armour and G-III Apparel Ralph Lauren, V.F., Under Armour and G-III Apparel are part of the Zacks Industry Outlook article. Jobs report shock has big implications for Fed rate bets, Treasury yields The economy ended 2024 with a solid labor market and a better-than-expected reading for headline unemployment. US Economy Adds 256,000 Payrolls In December, Tight Labor Market Tops Forecasts: Dollar, Treasury Yields Spike The labor market ended 2024 on a strong note, adding 256,000 jobs in December, exceeding economist forecasts and showcasing once again the resilience of the U.S. economy. Nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 last month, up from the downwardly revised 212,000 in November and sharply surpassing economist expectations of 160,000 payrolls as tracked by TradingEconomics. US Labor Market Defies Gravity, Unemployment Rate Falls The December payroll figure released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics s Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights Atmos Energy, New Jersey Resources and MDU Resources Atmos Energy, New Jersey Resources and MDU Resources are part of the Zacks Industry Outlook article. Stock Futures Slide After Strong December Jobs Report Stock futures were sliding after the latest jobs report killed any lingering hopes of a January interest-rate cut. The Labor Department said the U.S. added 256,000 jobs in December, well ahead of expectations at 153,000 jobs, according to FactSet. Nasdaq 100 futures fell 1.2%. 1 Magnificent S&P 500 Dividend Stock Down 33% to Buy in 2025 for a Lifetime of Passive Income Consumer staples behemoth Clorox (NYSE: CLX) has faced no shortage of issues over the last few years. With ballooning inflation and a cyberattack hampering Clorox's operations (among many other companies), the company's stock still languishes 33% below its all-time highs from 2020. This sales stability, paired with Clorox's ongoing turnaround yet depressed share price, makes it a steady-Eddie stock worth a long look today. Top Seven Stocks Dominate S&P 500 Amid Bubble Concerns Howard Marks reflects on 25 years since his seminal memo "bubble.com," discussing historical and contemporary bubbles. Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights: Align Technology and Coca-Cola Align Technology and Coca-Cola are part of the Zacks Investment Ideas article.