The Financial Post reports in its Saturday edition that a Bank of Canada interest rate increase this year looks less likely based on the latest jobs numbers, economists say. The Post's Gig Suhanic writes that the economy added 8,200 positions in December, beating estimates for a loss of 2,500 jobs, while the unemployment rate rose to 6.8 per cent from 6.5 per cent as more people looked for work, according to Statistics Canada. Estimates had called for the unemployment rate to rise to 6.7 per cent, but it now stands 0.1 per cent above where it ended in 2024. The jobs market significantly cooled down in December after adding an average of 60,000 positions per month from September to November. CIBC Capital Markets economist Andrew Grantham cast doubt on the surprise drop in the unemployment rate to 6.5 per cent in November, saying it was likely exaggerated by a decline in those looking for work. December reversed that trend as the number of people seeking employment -- the participation rate -- rose by 81,000, which offset the drop in the prior month. "We don't anticipate a renewed decline in participation and see today's unemployment rate as a more accurate representation of actual slack within the economy," he said.