December’s robust job development mixed with slowing wage inflation is fueling optimism that the economic system may simply see a gentle touchdown.

However economists disagree on whether or not that would be the case, given {that a} robust jobs market might proceed to ignite value will increase within the service sector and maintain the Federal Reserve elevating rates of interest. These greater rates of interest might sluggish the economic system additional and push it right into a recession.

Based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the economic system added 223,000 jobs within the closing month of 2022, lower than the 256,000 in November. Unemployment fell to three.469%, which economists say is the bottom since 1969.

In the meantime, common hourly wages elevated 4.6% on an annual foundation, lower than the 5% economists anticipated. On a month-to-month foundation, that was a acquire of 0.3%, in comparison with Dow Jones expectations of 0.4%. The November wage features have been revised decrease to a month-to-month acquire of 0.4%, versus 0.6% beforehand reported.

“This can be the final hoorah. It is about as near a Goldilocks quantity the Fed might hope for at this cut-off date,” mentioned Diane Swonk, KPMG chief economist. “You had a cooling in wage features with a rise in participation and a fall within the unemployment charge. You hit it on all three notes.”

Shares rallied after the report, and Treasury yields — which transfer reverse value — fell. Economists polled by Dow Jones anticipated 200,000 jobs have been added within the month, and that the tempo of job creation will proceed to sluggish sharply.

Client inflation has been coming down. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones count on the buyer value index rose by 6.5% in December on an annual foundation, down from 7.1% in November. The December CPI is slated for launch Jan. 12.

“What the Fed is taking a look at is it’s now stepping into the stickiest a part of inflation and that is wages, and the market is taking a look at because the development is in the best path,” mentioned Swonk.

Swonk mentioned she expects job development to sluggish extra and the economic system to fall right into a shallow recession. But, the image of the labor market is likely one of the strongest ever.

“We have got 4.5 million new payrolls for the 12 months. That is the second strongest 12 months on document,” mentioned Swonk. She mentioned 2022 was second to 2021, when there have been 6.7 million jobs created. “The one factor shut was 1946 when troopers returned to civilian work after World Battle II.”

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, mentioned the report is encouraging and confirms his expectation that there might be a gentle touchdown for the economic system. “It was about as excellent a report as one might ask for,” he mentioned. “I do not suppose there have been any blemishes in any respect within the report. It reveals a job market that’s slowly however absolutely cooling off.”

Whereas many economists count on a recession, Zandi factors to robust development even with a slowdown within the housing sector. Based on the Atlanta Fed, gross home product was rising at a robust charge of three.8% within the fourth quarter of 2022. Zandi notes wage development is a full proportion level slower than when it peaked within the spring.

“That is per the Fed threading the needle of slowing development sufficiently to sluggish inflation however not pushing the economic system into recession,” mentioned Zandi. “We’re calling it a ‘slowcession.'”

The decline in unemployment got here because the participation charge elevated barely to 62.3%. That’s nonetheless a full proportion level beneath the place it was in February 2020, the month earlier than the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

“It is one factor to say momentum within the labor market is moderating, nevertheless it’s one other factor to say imbalances are being eliminated,” mentioned Michael Gapen, chief U.S. economist at Financial institution of America.

The Federal Reserve has been hoping to crush inflation by elevating rates of interest sufficient to chill the economic system, and that will be by way of the labor market. However with its fed funds charge at 4.25%-4.50%, the Fed has focused extra charge hikes till it reaches its forecast of 5.1% for the tip, or terminal charge.

Gapen and different economists count on the Fed to extend charges by a half proportion level on Feb. 1, whereas merchants within the futures market see only a quarter level hike. Gapen mentioned the robust jobs report reinforces his charge hike forecast.

“There’s one thing on this report for everybody, however to take a look at this and say ‘gentle touchdown,’ I do not agree,” mentioned Gapen. “The unemployment charge is falling and payroll development is at 223,000. The Fed needs it beneath 100,000, in all probability extra like 80,000.”

He expects to see damaging job development this 12 months, after the Fed’s charge hikes. There have been seven charge hikes up to now since March. “Right here we’re 9 months later, and you are still including jobs at what could be thought-about a blowout charge in a standard restoration,” he mentioned.

Gapen notes that there was nonetheless a surprisingly excessive 10.5 million job openings in November, in accordance with the Jobs Opening and Labor Turnover Survey, launched Wednesday.

“From the perspective of an unemployed employee searching for jobs, it is nonetheless an excellent report and it is nonetheless an excellent labor market,” mentioned Gapen. “For those who’re a coverage maker issues are going to remain persistently robust in a method you’ll be able to’t meet your inflation mandate.”