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Nonfarm Payrolls Up 120K in November, October Revised Higher; Unemployment Lowest Since 2009

December 2, 2011 9:26 AM EST
Despite a miss on nonfarm numbers Friday, the U.S. unemployment rate made a drastic move in the right direction: down.

Nonfarm payrolls rose 120,000 in November, up from a revised 100,000 in October. The number fell just shy of the 123,000 expected by the Street. Initial data for October showed an increase of 80,000 jobs.

Private sector payrolls also missed the mark, gaining 140,000 versus an expected 150,000 increase. Last month's number was revised from a gain of 104,000 to 117,000.

Factory payrolls rose just 2,000, from a gain of 6,000 in October, and below the 9,000 expected.

Unemployment is now at a two-and-more-than-a-half-year low. Data from the U.S. Department of Labor showed the unemployment rate fell from 9.0 percent -- where it has been hanging for a while -- to 8.6 percent, its lowest point since March 2009. The participation rate slumped from 64.2 percent to 64.0 percent.

Hourly earnings fell 0.1 percent to $23.18. and the average workweek held firm at 34.3 hours.

Holiday seasonal hiring helped increase payrolls -- retailers indicated the addition of about 50,000 employees -- however, not enough to beat the Street's estimates.


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