As the recovery continues. There's a bunch of stuff on this but they don't all warrant their own threads so here's a compendium of economic information.
The economy last year experienced
a net-improvement of 2.17 million jobs (private sector gained 2.24), which is better than every single year of the Bush Presidency except one (2005).
The jobs report of the fourth quarter of 2012
has been revised upward, now saying we added 600,000+ jobs from October through December.
The GDP
actually contracted 0.1% in that quarter, however. The first contraction in 13 quarters -- though revisions will probably change that to a slight expansion -- largely because of Hurricane Sandy and vast layoffs in the defense sector.
The
initial estimate is that we added 157,000 jobs in January. The unemployment rate
actually jumped, however, from 7.8% to 7.9%. As the economy gets better, more people are entering the job market.
The government continues to be
the main holder-backer of a faster recovery, as reduced government payrolls have weighed down employment figures.
The Institute for Supply Management said its index of Manufacturing activity grew to 53.1,
according to the Institute for Supply Management, which is a big jump up.
The Dow jumped above 1,500 earlier this month. After today's jobs report,
it launched above 1,400.
What's driving the jump up in employment? Mostly, construction, buoyed by about 30,000 new hires,
which indicates more homes are being built.
You're welcome.