Washington (AFP)

Did the unemployment rate in the United States climb in December, for the first time since April?

The official figure, released on Friday, is expected to reflect the impact on the US economy of the increased virulence of the virus which has been accompanied by numerous activity restrictions.

December's jobs report will be the last of the Trump era before Joe Biden arrives at the White House on January 20.

Some analysts see the unemployment rate stagnating at 6.7%, as in November.

Others expect it to rise, for the first time since April, when it hit its peak of 14.7%, unheard of since the 1930s.

Since then, that number had fallen every month.

"Be prepared for a disappointing (employment) report," warned economist Joel Naroff.

As for job creation, they could again fall by half compared to the previous month, and fall to around 112,000, according to some forecasts.

Barclays analysts even anticipate "50,000 jobs destroyed in December, ending seven consecutive months of creations which had recreated 12.3 million jobs lost at the start of the pandemic".

Private companies in the United States began to destroy jobs again in December for the first time since April, according to the monthly survey by the business services firm ADP published on Wednesday.

The 123,000 job losses "were mainly concentrated in retail trade, leisure and hotels," said Ahu Yildirmaz, who co-directs this monthly survey, seen as a first gauge of official figures.

First penalized therefore, restaurants and bars, which in many cities, had to stop serving in the dining room, or shorten their hours.

"Fewer people (was) necessary because of restrictions in restaurants", "we had to further reduce our workforce", explained business managers interviewed by the trade association ISM.

Employment in services fell in December for the first time since August, the monthly survey released Thursday showed.

- Unemployment rights until March -

The crisis destroyed more than 22 million jobs in March and April in the United States, of which just over half were recreated.

This is without counting all the self-employed workers who have seen their sources of income dry up.

The dissemination of the vaccine against Covid-19 now provides a glimpse of a way out, but in the meantime, the coming months look bleak.

And more than 19 million people were still receiving unemployment benefit in mid-December, according to the latest available data.

These millions of unemployed Americans, however, received good news during the holiday season, since the American Congress managed to agree on a new package of economic aid, which was ratified by Donald Trump.

They are assured of being able to receive unemployment benefit until March, the amount of which has been increased by 300 dollars per week.

However, these measures risk pushing up jobless claims in January, since those who thought they had exhausted their rights will finally be able to claim them.

Transfers of $ 600 per person, under certain income conditions, were also sent, in the very first days of 2021, to the bank accounts of many American households.

Joe Biden has promised that the $ 900 billion that was released at the end of 2020 would only be a down payment for the massive stimulus package he intends to pass upon his arrival.

The Senate now having as many elected Democrats as Republicans, Vice President Kamala Harris will be responsible for deciding, which will leave free rein to Joe Biden to apply his policy.

© 2021 AFP