Jobs Report: Unemployment Drops Below 8% for First Time in 43 Months
The latest jobs report shows a below-eight percent unemployment rate
Oct. 05, 2012— -- The unemployment rate decreased from 8.1 percent to 7.8 in September, the first time it has fallen below 8 percent in nearly four years. That means the economy added 114,00 jobs, about 1,000 less than originally expected.
Currently, there are 12.1 million unemployed workers, a decrease of 456,000 from the 12.5 million without jobs in August. The economy added only 96,000 jobs in August.
Healthcare and transportation and warehousing jobs rose in September, while manufacturing employment was down.
According to a Thursday Labor Department report, the number of people filing new claims for unemployment insurance benefits rose to 367,000 last week from a revised 363,000.
The Hispanic unemployment rate is still above the national average at 9.9 percent. It was 10.2 percent last month and 10.3 percent the month before that.
This is a breaking news item. Check ABC/Univision for more updates.