U.S. adds 151,000 jobs in January, unemployment rate falls


Following a December boom, job growth cooled in January, with the nation slightly disappointing expectations with the addition of only 151,000 jobs. The unemployment rate, however, dropped to 4.9 percent, the first time it has started with the numeral "4" since February 2008. The jobs report stands as a positive point during a tumultuous time for the U.S. economy and global markets; U.S. economic growth was just 0.7 percent in the fourth quarter.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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