Figures released this afternoon showed that the US economy generated just 1,000 jobs in December, disappointing those expecting evidence of a strengthening labour market to sustain the economic recovery.
The dollar slid after the report, allowing the euro to jump to $1.2853, its highest level since its 1999 launch.
The report was a shock to economists, who projected average job growth of 148,000 in the month to signal an end to the so-called jobless recovery in the US.
Using a separate survey, however, the Labor Department said the unemployment rate dipped to 5.7%, a 14-month low, from 5.9% in November.
The report also showed that job growth in the previous four months was revised lower by a total of 66,000.
