WASHINGTON: The US jobless rate unexpectedly fell in January to the lowest level since April 2009 at 9%, while payrolls rose less than forecast, depressed by winter storms.
Unemployment declined last month from 9.4% in December, the Labor Department said on Friday in Washington. Employment rose by 36,000 workers, the smallest gain in four months, after a 121,000 rise in December that was larger than initially reported . Payrolls are "all about the weather" , David Resler, chief economist at Nomura Securities International Inc. in New York, said in a note before the report.
Underlying job conditions "continue to improve" , Resler said. Payrolls in construction and transportation, industries most affected by bad weather, dropped in January, while factory employment rose the most since August 1998. Federal Reserve chairman Ben S Bernanke is among policy makers still concerned the pickup in growth is failing to revive the labour market quickly, one reason why the Fed said it will continue a plan to add another $600 billion into the economy.
Unemployment declined last month from 9.4% in December, the Labor Department said on Friday in Washington. Employment rose by 36,000 workers, the smallest gain in four months, after a 121,000 rise in December that was larger than initially reported . Payrolls are "all about the weather" , David Resler, chief economist at Nomura Securities International Inc. in New York, said in a note before the report.
Underlying job conditions "continue to improve" , Resler said. Payrolls in construction and transportation, industries most affected by bad weather, dropped in January, while factory employment rose the most since August 1998. Federal Reserve chairman Ben S Bernanke is among policy makers still concerned the pickup in growth is failing to revive the labour market quickly, one reason why the Fed said it will continue a plan to add another $600 billion into the economy.
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