U.S. Nonfarm Payrolls Increase by 50,000, Unemployment Rate Drops to 4.4%
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 09 2026
0mins
Source: Benzinga
- Labor Market Stability: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nonfarm payrolls increased by 50,000 in December 2025, remaining largely unchanged from November's downwardly revised gain of 56,000, although slightly below the expected 60,000, indicating resilience in the labor market and easing concerns about rising unemployment.
- Unemployment Rate Decline: The unemployment rate fell from a revised 4.5% in November to 4.4%, landing below expectations of 4.5%, suggesting improvements in the labor market that could support consumer confidence and spending.
- Wage Growth Acceleration: Average hourly earnings rose by 0.3% month-over-month, accelerating from November's 0.2% increase and matching forecasts, which may drive consumer spending and bolster economic growth.
- Housing Market Slowdown: Housing starts declined by 4.6% from the previous month to an annualized rate of 1.246 million units, while building permits fell by 0.2% to an annualized rate of 1.412 million, indicating a slowdown in the real estate market that could impact the overall pace of economic recovery.
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Analyst Views on ACON
Wall Street analysts forecast ACON stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for ACON is 23.00 USD with a low forecast of 23.00 USD and a high forecast of 23.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
1 Analyst Rating
1 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 3.640
Low
23.00
Averages
23.00
High
23.00
Current: 3.640
Low
23.00
Averages
23.00
High
23.00
No data
About ACON
Aclarion, Inc. is a healthcare technology company. The Company leverages magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and proprietary biomarkers to optimize clinical treatments. The Company has developed a software application called NOCISCAN. The product uses the existing MRS capabilities of many commercially available scanners to non-invasively analyze the chemical makeup of intervertebral discs in the spine. The software post-processes the MRS exam data and detects the presence of chemical biomarkers that Aclarion, in conjunction with spine researchers at University of California San Francisco (UCSF), have demonstrated to be associated with degenerative pain and structural integrity of the lumbar discs. After processing the MRS exam data, the Company sends the ordering clinician a report that details how to interpret the results of the MRS exam. The platform used to conduct a NOCISCAN involves a diagnostic report called a Nocigram that identifies discs as painful or not.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Aclarion, Inc. Closes $10.4 Million Financing, Extends Cash Runway to 2028
- Successful Financing: Aclarion closed a $10.4 million common stock financing priced at $5.18 per share, which enhances the company's balance sheet and strategic flexibility, supporting Nociscan's clinical and commercial growth.
- Extended Cash Runway: As of January 12, 2026, the company reported $21.6 million in cash with zero debt, extending its cash runway into 2028 based on current operating plans, ensuring operational capacity ahead of key milestones.
- Accelerated Clinical Validation: Aclarion aims to speed up patient enrollment in the CLARITY trial to approximately 25% by the end of Q2 2026, while also conducting several real-world evidence studies to expand market opportunities by over 30%.
- Technology Upgrade and Market Expansion: The company plans to launch Nociscan version 2.8 in Q1 to improve workflow integration and is actively engaging with multiple U.S. commercial payers to advance broader reimbursement for Nociscan, enhancing its competitive position in the market.
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Aclarion Closes $10.4 Million Financing, Extends Cash Runway to 2028
- Successful Financing: Aclarion has closed a $10.4 million common stock financing at $5.18 per share, significantly strengthening the company's balance sheet and ensuring the integrity of its capital structure for future growth.
- Increased Cash Reserves: As of January 12, 2026, Aclarion holds $21.6 million in cash with zero debt, extending its cash runway into 2028, which secures operational stability for the coming years.
- Accelerated Clinical Validation: The company aims to enroll approximately 25% of patients in the CLARITY trial by the end of Q2 2026, with initial results available internally after the three-month follow-up, expediting the clinical validation of Nociscan.
- Market Expansion Strategy: Aclarion plans to grow access to major MRI manufacturers, increasing the global market size by over 30%, while enhancing clinician education and awareness through participation in CME events to further penetrate the market with Nociscan.
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