Now, this is good News!

[JDPriestly]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Employment grew solidly for a second month in March and the jobless rate hit a two-year low of 8.8 percent, underscoring a decisive shift in the labor market that should help to underpin the recovery.

Nonfarm payrolls rose 216,000 last month, the largest increase since May, the Labor Department said on Friday. The gain built on the 194,000 new positions added in February.

The quickening pace of job growth has pulled down the unemployment rate a full percentage point since November.

A separate report from the Institute for Supply Management showed factory activity grew strongly last month, although it backed off a nearly seven-year high hit in February. It was still the 20th straight month of expansion.


http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2011/04/employment_jumps_in_march_jobless_rate_falls.php?ref=fpa

(Hoping the link works.)

I was pessimistic. Now, I just hope these numbers are right.

And also hope we don't have the predicted double-dip.

[bluerum]

1. Guarded optimism is certainly in order - I am celebrating with some

fried dumplings and dumplings in sesame sauce

[spanone]

2. ...

[aSpeckofDust]

3. Looks like a bunch of minimum or near waged jobs..

"Employment gains in March were concentrated in the private services sector, which added 199,000 jobs. Payrolls in the goods-producing industries rose 31,000, but manufacturing employment growth slowed to 17,000 from 32,000 in February."

I would like to see more construction/manufacturing jobs before I become hopeful.

[aquart]

4. How about repairing those Ohio bridges for instance?

I hear they're unsafe.

[JDPriestly]

5. At least it is something. Once a person gets a job, his spirits

rise. You are right though, aSpeckofDust. The jobs pay too little and many of them are not full-time. But it used to be that if you lost your job and got a part-time job, you could receive partial unemployment. I hope that is the law at this time.