The US unemployment rate fell to 4,9%, its lowest level in six years. While the pace of job creation was somewhat disappointing, the US economy added 151 new jobs in January, slowing from previous months. Analysts were expecting an increase of 185.000 units.
Despite this, according to the Labor Department, unemployment fell to its lowest since February 2008, ie the period before the collapse of Lehman Brothers, before the crisis caused by subprime mortgages hit the United States. The data has surprised analysts who estimated a fixed rate at 5%. The number of total unemployed fell from 7,9 million to 7,7 million.
In parallel, the Department of Commerce has published data on the trade balance deficit which, stands in December at approx 43,4 billion from $42,2 billion in November (revised from a preliminary $42,4 billion). The result it is slightly below the estimates of analysts who expected a deficit of 43 billion dollars.
