The United States added fewer jobs than analysts expected in December, government data showed Friday, in a hiring slowdown that comes amid growing concerns about the key labour market's health.

US employment rose by 50,000 last month slowing from a revised 56,000 in November, the Department of Labor said.

The jobless rate inched down to 4.4 percent, from 4.5 percent.

Investors will be eyeing the latest data for its potential bearing on the Federal Reserve's interest rate decisions, as a sharp deterioration in the jobs market could nudge the central bank to lower rates sooner to boost the world's biggest economy.

Already, job growth has slowed significantly over the past year, while the unemployment rate crept up towards its highest levels since 2021.

Friday's hiring number was lower than the 73,000 figure expected by economists.

Among sectors, the Labor Department said, employment continued trending up in restaurants and bars, health care and social assistance.

But retail trade lost jobs, the report added, with employment dropping in areas like warehouse clubs, supercenters and other merchandise retailers.

"Since reaching a peak in January, federal government employment is down by 277,000, or 9.2 percent," the department said. (AFP)