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The Two-Way
Employment Numbers Tell Us A Lot (But Not That Much)
May 3, 2013 The jobs report for April showed stronger job creation and a four-year low in the unemployment rate, sending stocks soaring. But the monthly numbers, while encouraging, are bound to be revised. That suggests that perhaps we're paying too much attention to them.
The Two-Way
165,000 Jobs Added In April, Jobless Rate Fell To 7.5 Percent
May 3, 2013 The eagerly anticipated news was better than expected. And the Bureau of Labor Statistics revised upward its estimates of job growth in February and March.
The Two-Way
Pleasant Surprises: 236,000 Jobs Added; Jobless Rate Dips To 7.7 Percent
March 8, 2013 February's jobs numbers were better than expected. The jobless rate is now the lowest it's been since President Obama took office. The rate's recent peak was 10 percent in October 2009.
The Two-Way
155,000 Jobs Added In December, Jobless Rate At 7.8 Percent
January 4, 2013 Growth was in line with expectations and adds to the evidence that the nation continues to add jobs at a modest pace.
The Two-Way
Unemployment Rate Drops To 7.7 Percent, As Economy Adds 146,000 Jobs
December 7, 2012 The economy added 146,000 jobs, beating expectations. Hurricane Sandy had little effect on the numbers.
The Two-Way
Job Growth Beats Forecasts; Unemployment Rate Is 7.9 Percent
November 2, 2012 There were about 50,000 more jobs added to payrolls than economists expected. Also: September's growth was revised upward. This is the last major economic report before Election Day and is sure to be a hot topic on the campaign trail.
The Two-Way
Unemployment Rate Drops To 7.8 Percent; 114,000 Jobs Added To Payrolls
October 5, 2012 The news is sure to be a hot topic on the campaign trail.
The Two-Way
163,000 Jobs Added In July; Unemployment Rate Rose To 8.3 Percent
August 3, 2012 While job growth was the best it's been in five months, there weren't enough new positions added to payrolls to bring down unemployment. The jobless rate has been just above 8 percent each month this year.
The Two-Way
Just 80,000 Jobs Added In June; Unemployment Rate Stays At 8.2 Percent
July 6, 2012 Economists had been expecting slightly better job growth. The jobless rate has been above 8 percent since February 2009. The report adds to evidence that the economy is slowing again.
The Two-Way
Obama, Romney Have Sharply Different Takes On Weak Jobs News
June 1, 2012 While the Republican contender blames what he says are the administration's "failed" economic policies for weak job growth, the president says he headed off another Great Depression. It's the central debate of the 2012 campaign.
The Two-Way
Dow Plunges; Now In Negative Territory For The Year
June 1, 2012 Investors are reacting to the much-weaker-than-expected report on job growth in May.
The Two-Way
'Lousy' News: Just 69,000 Jobs Added In May; Jobless Rate At 8.2 Percent
June 1, 2012 Both numbers are disappointments. Economists had expected BLS would say the jobless rate was 8.1 percent and that payrolls expanded by at least 150,000 jobs.
