Jobs report arouses new optimism

WASHINGTON — The final major economic report before election day, showing employers added a solid 171,000 new jobs in October, may not change many minds, but it does suggest that whoever wins Tuesday could enjoy increased economic momentum heading into next year.

Businesses stepped up their hiring last month, and more people jumped back into the job market, signs that the economy is picking up steam even as unemployment remains high.

Job numbers expanded across a broad range of industries, including the long-depressed construction sector. That part of the economy should get a further lift in the next couple of months from rebuilding after the devastating storm that hit the Northeast this week.

What's more, the statistics indicated that payroll growth in the last two months had been sharply higher than previously thought. Revisions in the numbers boosted optimism among economists that the nation's job-creation machine could kick into higher gear.

Quiz: Test your knowledge of this week's business news

The jobless rate rose to 7.9% from 7.8% in September, but that wasn't because of swelling ranks of unemployed workers, but rather gains in the number of people returning to the labor market — a positive sign that workers may be feeling more confident about their job prospects.

For all that, the stronger-than-expected jobs report Friday from the Labor Department isn't likely to have a huge effect on the presidential vote. The numbers were not eye-poppingly different from last month; the vast majority of voters already have made up their minds about the economy and more than 25 million Americans have cast their ballots, closing in on one-fifth of the likely turnout.

Nonetheless, the report, along with other recent indicators showing improvements in the housing market and consumer confidence, does suggest smoother sailing for whoever wins — though the looming possibility of a sudden increase in taxes and reduction in government spending come Jan. 1 continues to act as a drag on the economy.

"The U.S. economy is beginning to find its rhythm," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics.

But he noted that if lawmakers fail to avert the so-called fiscal cliff — the automatic tax hikes and spending cuts set to take place — "the improvements of the past few months will be quickly unwound."

Lawmakers also need to tackle the thorny issue of raising the debt ceiling early next year.

Heading into the final weekend before the election, President Obama and challenger Mitt Romney stuck to their scripts in responding to the report.

The White House, as it has throughout the campaign, noted that the economy has steadily climbed back from the extraordinarily deep recession with, now, 32 months of private-sector job growth. Romney and his Republican backers turned the spotlight on the still-high unemployment rate as an indication of what they see as ineffective economic policies under Obama.

The unemployment rate was 7.8% when Obama took office in January 2009, and it rose to a high of 10% in October of that year before slowly coming down. The rate fell below 8% in September for the first time since Obama's inauguration, but the tick up to 7.9% last month was just enough to give Romney a fresh attack line Friday.

"Unemployment is higher today than when Barack Obama took office," Romney told thousands gathered at a state fair pavilion outside Milwaukee. "Think of that — unemployment today is higher than on the day Barack Obama took office."

Obama, campaigning in the battleground state of Ohio, said: "You know, in 2008 we were in the middle of two wars and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. And today our businesses have created nearly 51/2 million new jobs."

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Jobs report arouses new optimism

Dengan url

http://usiamudahan.blogspot.com/2012/11/jobs-report-arouses-new-optimism.html

Usia Muda