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US sheds 85,000 jobs, highlighting sluggish recovery
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US sheds 85,000 jobs, highlighting sluggish recovery
AFP - 2 hours 26 minutes ago
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Women look over job listings on display in San Francisco, California. The US economy lost 85,000 jobs in December while the unemployment rate held at 10.0 percent, the government said in a report that pointed towards a slow and painful economic recovery.
WASHINGTON (AFP) - – The US economy lost 85,000 jobs in December while the unemployment rate held at 10.0 percent, the government said Friday in a report highlighting a slow and painful recovery from recession.
The Labor Department report on nonfarm payrolls was a disappointment to those hoping for job growth, which is critical to economic recovery.
The figure was far worse than the consensus expectation for no change in overall employment levels, and came amid a wide array of predictions ranging from steep losses to modest gains.
The unemployment rate meanwhile was in line with expectations, remaining near its highest level since the 1980s.
In revising data for prior months, the data showed a net gain of 4,000 jobs in November instead of a loss of 11,000 previously reported, the first positive month after 22 months of losses.
But the agency also revised its October estimate to show a loss of 127,000 jobs in October instead of 111,000.
"Today's jobs report is, obviously, disappointing," said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.
"We are in a very tough economic environment. Since this recession officially began more than two years ago, seven million jobs have been lost," he added.
Christina Romer, head of President Barack Obama's Council of Economic Advisors, called the latest figures "a setback" but said they were "consistent with the gradual labour market stabilization we have been seeing over the last several months."
"As the president has said for a year, the road to recovery will not be a straight line," Romer added.
"The monthly employment and unemployment numbers are volatile and subject to substantial revision. Therefore, it is important not to read too much into any one monthly report, positive or negative."
Private economists said the news was disappointing but consistent with a gradually healing economy.
"We're getting a steady but very slow improvement in the job market," said Robert MacIntosh, economist at Eaton Vance.
"We are going to have to get used to a frustratingly high unemployment rate."
"On the surface this was a disappointing report, especially since we did finally have a positive number in November," said Joel Naroff at Naroff Economic Advisors.
"But the seasonal adjustments are difficult in this type of cautious environment and I wouldn't be surprised if in January there was another job increase."
Cary Leahey, senior economist at the research firm Decision Economics, called the data consistent with a still-sluggish economy.
"The labor market is struggling and is stuck in the water," he said.
"You are seeing gains in output and manufacturing because of liquidation of inventories... but we haven't seen a decisive turn in the labour market."
The world's biggest economy expanded at a 2.2 percent pace in the third quarter after four quarters of decline in the worst recession in decades.
Most analysts expect continued growth for the fourth quarter and 2010 but say recovery could be held back by unemployment, which hurts consumer spending and confidence.
"It is starting to look like those in the U-shaped recovery camp are in better shape than those in the V-shaped recovery camp," said Ian Pollick, economics strategist at TD Securities.
"While the worst of the recession is likely over, the fact that the duration of unemployment remains rigid is a concern, though a silver lining is that we are likely to see net job creation assisted by census hiring in the first quarter of 2010."
The December report showed the goods-producing sector shed 81,000 jobs including 27,000 in manufacturing and 53,000 in construction.
The services sector lost a modest 4,000 jobs, with a loss of 10,000 in retail offset by gains in education, health care and professional services. Government sector employment fell by 21,000.
Average hours worked, sometimes seen as a proxy for economic activity, was unchanged in December. Average hourly earnings meanwhile rose 0.2 percent.
The civilian labour force fell by 661,000 in the month, suggesting that more people are stopping their search for employment.
"The unchanged unemployment rate of 10 percent understates labour market slack, since labour force participation fell sharply," said Sophia Koropeckyj at Moody's Economy.com.
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