The unemployment rate in the US has dropped to its lowest level since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Department of Labor released its jobs report for December on Friday. It said the unemployment rate was 3.9 percent, down from 4.2 percent in November.

At the start of the pandemic in April 2020, the jobless rate was 14.7 percent. That was the highest figure since recordkeeping began.

The report said businesses added about 199,000 jobs last month. That was much lower than the 400,000 that economists had predicted.

However, other figures suggest that the job market is in good shape. Wages rose sharply, as record numbers of people left their jobs in search of better employment. That is forcing businesses to compete for workers.

President Joe Biden said the jobs report proves that his economic plan is working and that America is getting back to work.

Economists say that the economy faces potential stumbling blocks ahead. They say another outbreak of the virus could put the brakes on economic recovery.