U.S. Economy Adds 39,000 Jobs in November, Fewer Than Expected; Jobless Rate Up to 9.8%

The United States economy added only 39,000 jobs in November,
a blow to expectations that a recovery was gathering
momentum, the Labor Department said Friday. The unemployment
rate rose to 9.8 percent, from 9.6 percent.

Included in the latest report were slight upward revisions
from previous months. The agency now says that the economy
added 172,000 jobs in October, instead of the 151,000 jobs
previously reported.

Novemberā??s gain was far from enough to help the large ranks
of the unemployed. More than 15 million people remain out of
work.