US jobless rate falls to 7.8 pct., 44-month low
WASHINGTON – The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 7.8 percent last month, dropping below 8 percent for the first time in nearly four years and giving President Barack Obama a potential boost with the election a month away.
The rate declined from 8.1 percent because the number of people who said they were employed soared by 873,000 — an encouraging sign for an economy that's been struggling to create enough jobs.
The number of unemployed Americans is now 12.1 million, the fewest since January 2009.
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