The U.S. created 216,000 new jobs in December, more than had been expected by Wall Street, and wages in the 12 months ended December 31 grew by a healthy 4.1%. The news reinforced months of data indicating economic fundamentals are growing at a healthy pace but not so fast that it would reignite inflation. Employees experienced a 4.1% increase in average hourly earnings in 2023 compared to the 2023 inflation rate — as measured..