Unemployment Drops to 8.2%

But economy adds just 120K jobs
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 6, 2012 7:42 AM CDT
Unemployment Drops to 8.2%
Job seekers stand in line during the Career Expo job fair Wednesday, March 7, 2012, in Portland, Ore.   (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

The unemployment rate dropped to 8.2% last month, but the economy only added 120,000 jobs, when 203,000 new jobs had been predicted, according to today's jobs report. Reaction on the Wall Street Journal's MarketBeat Blog was swift: "Woah!!! Bad number." The unemployment rate, however, is better news; it had been expected to hold steady at 8.3%. But the AP notes that the dip is mostly due to more Americans giving up on seeking employment. (More US economy stories.)

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