2011 Marked Largest Increase in US Retail Sales in More Than a Decade
American consumers spent enough in December to lift sales to a record level for 2011. It marked the largest annual increase in consumer spending in more than a decade.
The unemployment rate fell for the fifth straight month after a surge of January hiring, a promising shift in the nation's outlook for job growth.
The Labor Department says employers added 243,000 jobs in January, the most in nine months. The unemployment rate dropped to 8.3 percent from 8.5 percent in December. That's the lowest in nearly three years.
Overall, the private sector added 257,000 jobs in January, with manufacturers continuing to show strength in hiring.
(READ the AP story from ABC News)
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