U.S. hiring slowed in December to 199,000 new jobs, though the U.S. added a record number of positions in 2021. The jobless rate declined to 3.9%, the Labor Department said.

Last month’s payroll gains left the U.S. economy with about 6.4 million more jobs than at the end of 2020—more than in any year on record—but the nation remains 3.6 million jobs short of pre-pandemic levels.