U.S. unemployment edges up in Sept


02 October 2009 @ 10:34 am EDT

Employers cut more jobs in September than expected and the unemployment rate crept up to 9.8 percent, with economists predicting that the rate will eventually exceed 10 percent before falling in 2010.

September’s payroll cuts were 263,000, the Commerce Department reported this morning. The losses exceeded consensus estimates of 175,000, according to a Bloomberg poll.

September’s results are slightly below the average monthly loss for the last six months of 307,000. Average monthly job losses in the previous six months starting in November 2008 were 645,000.

The biggest losses were in construction, with 64,000; government, down 53,000; manufacturing, which fell by 51,000, and retail trade, slipping 39,000.

The total number of unemployed workers in the U.S. stands at 15.1 million.

Most Popular Slideshows

  • Phillip Phillips: Things You Need to Know, His Girlfriend and His Victory at the American IdolPhillip Phillips: Things You Need to Know, His Girlfriend and His Victory at the American Idol [PHOTOS & VIDEO]

  • Existing Home Sales Jump, World Banks Lowers China Forecast, Euro Prepares for Greek Exit
  • 10. SwedenTop Ten Happiest Countries in the World in 2012 [SLIDESHOW]
  • Aishwarya Rai Wows at Cannes 2012Aishwarya Rai’s Weight Gain? Humbug! Here’s How She Wowed at Cannes 2012 [PHOTOS]
This article is copyrighted by International Business Times, the business news leader

Fatal error: Call to a member function popular_videos() on a non-object in /home/ibtimes.com/www/art/tpl/side_video.htm on line 12