[Federal Reserve's Barkin: Employment Report Shows Persistently Low Hiring Environment] Jin10 Data, January 10 – Federal Reserve's Barkin stated that the latest employment data indicates moderate job growth and a persistently sluggish hiring environment. Data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday showed that employers added 50,000 jobs last month, and the unemployment rate slightly declined to 4.4%. Barkin said, 'The delicate balance between a moderate job growth environment and a moderate labor supply growth environment seems to persist, which is encouraging.' He emphasized that Federal Reserve policymakers must continue to monitor the risks of rising unemployment and persistently high inflation. 'Inflation has been above our target level for nearly five consecutive years. While the situation is much better than two or three years ago, it is certainly not yet fully at target,' Barkin said. 'Over the past year, the unemployment rate has risen, and job growth has been relatively slow. So I believe both aspects require close attention.'