Unemployment rate bumps to 5.7 percent in March
07:39 AM CST on Friday, April 2, 2004
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The nation's unemployment rate bumped up to 5.7 percent in March while companies added 308,000 new jobs -- the most in four years, providing long-awaited evidence that the weak jobs market may be gaining steam.
The Labor Department report released Friday showed widespread hiring in industries across the economy at a time when President Bush's re-election campaign, counting heavily on a pickup in hiring, jumped into high gear.
For the first time in 44 months, the nation's factories did not shed jobs. But they weren't hiring either. March's figures show zero gains and losses for industries hammered by the economic downturn that began three years ago. The only sector losing jobs last month was information services, where companies cut about 1,000 jobs.
Revisions to payrolls showed a stronger jobs market than previously thought. Companies added 205,000 jobs in January and February, instead of the 118,000 reported last month.
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With the revisions and this months increase that comes to around 500,000 new jobs created in '04....How they makin out in France, Canada, and Geramny????
07:39 AM CST on Friday, April 2, 2004
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The nation's unemployment rate bumped up to 5.7 percent in March while companies added 308,000 new jobs -- the most in four years, providing long-awaited evidence that the weak jobs market may be gaining steam.
The Labor Department report released Friday showed widespread hiring in industries across the economy at a time when President Bush's re-election campaign, counting heavily on a pickup in hiring, jumped into high gear.
For the first time in 44 months, the nation's factories did not shed jobs. But they weren't hiring either. March's figures show zero gains and losses for industries hammered by the economic downturn that began three years ago. The only sector losing jobs last month was information services, where companies cut about 1,000 jobs.
Revisions to payrolls showed a stronger jobs market than previously thought. Companies added 205,000 jobs in January and February, instead of the 118,000 reported last month.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With the revisions and this months increase that comes to around 500,000 new jobs created in '04....How they makin out in France, Canada, and Geramny????
