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    December 02, 2011

US Unemployment Rate Drops Sharply

   VOA News
   US Department of Labor headquarters (file photo).
   Photo: USDL

   The U.S. unemployment rate dropped to the lowest level in more than two
   years in November.
   Friday's report from the Labor Department says the jobless rate was 8.6
   percent, a drop of 0.4 percent from the prior month.
   The data also show that the U.S. economy had a net gain of 120,000
   jobs.
   A closer look at the figures shows a mixed picture of the job market.
   Part of the improvement comes from hiring by private companies.
   Some of the apparent improvement in the jobless rate is the result of
   several hundred thousand people giving up their search for work.
   The unemployment rate only considers people who are actively seeking
   jobs.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

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