U.S. payrolls increased by 216,000 in December, much better than expected By: CNBC.com News January 05, 2024 at 08:35 AM EST Nonfarm payrolls were expected to increase by 170,000 in December, according to a Dow Jones consensus estimate. Read More >> Related Stocks: 51job, Inc. - American Depositary Shares, each representing two common shares