Surprise Decline in Unemployment Gives Obama a Boost
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The unemployment rate in the U.S. unexpectedly fell to 7.8 percent in September, giving President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign a boost a month before the election.
The economy added 114,000 workers last month after a revised 142,000 gain in August that was more than initially estimated, Labor Department figures showed today in Washington. The jobless rate dropped from 8.1 percent to the lowest level since Obama took office in January 2009, and hourly earnings climbed more than forecast.