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                      US Unemployment Rate Rises Slightly

   by Jim Randle

   The U.S. unemployment rate rose slightly -- one-tenth of one percent --
   to hit 6.2 percent in July.

   Friday's[1] report from the Labor Department also said the economy had
   a net gain of 209,000 jobs.

   The data surprised economists, who had predicted that the unemployment
   rate would be steady and the economy would create thousands more jobs.

   The unexpected increase in the jobless rate may be an ironic result of
   a string of positive economic reports recently. Those reports prompted
   discouraged unemployed people to resume their job hunts.

   U.S. government experts count people as officially unemployed only if
   they are actively searching for work.

   Earlier this week, a separate report said the economy rebounded from a
   slump at the beginning of the year when unusually foul weather slowed
   commerce.

   Some information for this report comes from Reuters.
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   [2]http://www.voanews.com/content/us-unemployment-rate-rises-slightly/1
   969523.html

References

   1. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm
   2. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-unemployment-rate-rises-slightly/1969523.html