The December jobs report came in lighter than expected, but a lower unemployment rate is likely to encourage the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates unchanged when it meets later this month. Still, market participants are hopeful for at least two rate cuts this year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, falling short of economists' estimates for the creation of roughly 55,000 new jobs. The figures for October were revised down by 68,000, from -105,000 to -173,000, while jobs growth for November was lowered by 8,000, from +64,000 to +56,000. The revisions ... (full story)