UNEMPLOYMENT

Ohio's unemployment rate in December to 9.6 percent from 9.8 percent a month earlier.

Chinese President Hu Jintao headed home on Friday after a U.S. visit both sides declared a success, but which left questions over how the world's top two economic powers will manage future frictions.

The unemployment rate in California trickled up to 12.5 percent in December, from 12.4 percent the prior month – meaning the jobless rate stayed above the 12 percent mark for the entire year, according to the state’s Employment Development Department (EDD).

Job losses and fear about what lies ahead persists on Main Street America, despite official pronouncements that the 'Great Recession' ended over a year ago, the head of a U.S. mayors group said this week. The group was in Washington to lobby President Obama and federal officials for billions of dollars in grants and investments.

According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the percentage of unionized American workers dropped to 11.9 percent from 12.3 percent, with the loss of 612,000 members in 2010. In 2008, unions lost 771,000 workers.

New York City's unemployment rate fell two-tenths of a percentage point to 8.9 percent in December from November, but the tourism-related sector hired fewer workers than expected, labor experts said on Thursday.

The U.S. Federal Reserve's latest $600 billion bond-buying program is built on the idea that most of the stubbornly high unemployment rate is reversible, if only borrowing costs are pushed low enough.

Mexico's unemployment rate fell more than expected in December, dropping to 4.94 percent in a sign that an economic recovery is gaining traction, data from the national statistics agency showed on Friday.

A New York Jets win this Sunday not only would propel the team to its first Super Bowl appearance since 1969, but could also give the team a boost in revenue while it makes payments on $650-million in debt.

Anti-government protesters took to the streets on Friday as Tunisia began three days of mourning for the dozens of people killed during the overthrow of president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.

Economic activity in Tunisia has been hit by recent political turmoil but it is hard to know exactly by how much without a proper assessment, an IMF spokesman said on Thursday.

BMO Capital Markets upgraded two U.S.-based staffing companies, On Assignment Inc (ASGN) and Hudson Highland Group (HHGP) to 'Outperform' from 'Market Perform.'

Chinese President Hu Jintao got an earful of U.S. lawmakers criticism on North Korea and human rights on Thursday, but tried to assure the United States that China's military and trade policies were not a threat.

Stocks closed modestly lower, but well above intra-day lows, as the tech sector incurred the heaviest losses on fears of Chinese interest rate hikes.

For Jeff Immelt, the CEO of General Electric (GE.N`), the 130 year-old American industrial behemoth, the financial crisis marked the end of the age of America's economic dominance.

President Barack Obama urged Chinese President Hu Jintao to let the value of China's yuan currency rise and delivered a strong message on U.S. concerns over Beijing's human rights record at a summit on Wednesday.

Tunisian police fired shots into the air on Thursday to try to disperse hundreds of protesters demanding that ministers associated with the rule of ousted president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali leave the government.

Over the past two years, as U.S. unemployment remained near double-digit levels and the economy shed jobs in the wake of the financial crisis, over a million foreign-born arrivals to America found work, many illegally.

Los Angeles city administrative office's (CAO) reporting of job creation and retention numbers under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds could be very misleading, said Wendy Greuel, LA city controller.

Payrolls will grow in almost all U.S. metropolitan areas this year, but the gains will be slight, according to a forecast from IHS Global Insight, Inc. released by the U.S. Conference of Mayors on Wednesday.

Ireland is losing an estimated 1,000 people a week to emigration with a surge in exports failing to lift prospects for employment, a government-funded research body said on Thursday.