More people got jobs and more people are encouraged enough to get back out there and look for work and I think they will find it.
"Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 171,000 in October, and the unemployment
rate was essentially unchanged at 7.9 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported today. Employment rose in professional and business services, health care,
and retail trade."BLS
Some of the better news was that more people entered the work force.
The civilian labor force rose by 578,000 to 155.6 million in October, and the labor
force participation rate edged up to 63.8 percent. Total employment rose by 410,000
over the month. The employment-population ratio was essentially unchanged at 58.8
percent, following an increase of 0.4 percentage point in September.
It looks like there could be the foundation for a budding jump in employment in various sectors. Marginal improvements in wages seem to helping with families disposable income which is slowly cascading throughout the rest of the economy.
Professional and business services added 51,000 jobs in October, with gains in
services to buildings and dwellings (+13,000) and in computer systems design (+7,000).
Temporary help employment changed little in October and has shown little net change
over the past 3 months. Employment in professional and business services has grown by
1.6 million since its most recent low point in September 2009.
Health care added 31,000 jobs in October. Job gains continued in ambulatory health
care services (+25,000) and hospitals (+6,000). Over the past year, employment in
health care has risen by 296,000.
Retail trade added 36,000 jobs in October, with gains in motor vehicles and parts dealers
(+7,000), and in furniture and home furnishings stores (+4,000). Retail trade has added
82,000 jobs over the past 3 months, with most of the gain occurring in motor vehicles
and parts dealers, clothing and accessories stores, and miscellaneous store retailers.
Employment in leisure and hospitality continued to trend up (+28,000) over the month.
This industry has added 811,000 jobs since a recent low point in January 2010, with
most of the gain occurring in food services.
With the aftermath of hurricane Sandy working it's way through the economy we will soon see how much damage and/or help the hurricane has done to the economy. In the short term, it's clear that the economic and personal damage has been great. In the long term, we can hope that there will be policy changes that better safeguard coastal cities, mitigate the personal and economic damage and foster more cooperation and economic security.