The state of the U.S. economy may be a chief concern among Americans, but 2023 wound up as a pretty good year for the macroenvironment. Spending remained high, markets posted big gains and the Federal Reserve’s battle against inflation showed signs of cooling — without freezing. Then there’s the almost logic-defying resilience of the job market. The U.S. labor market ended the year strong, creating more than 200,000 jobs in December, according to figures released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While previous job creation estimates for October and November were revised downward by a combined 75,000, ... (full story)