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Unemployment Leaps to 8.1%

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 6, 2009 7:54 AM CST

(Newser) – Unemployment hit 8.1% in February, its highest level since late 1983, as employers cut 651,000 jobs, the government said today. That’s worse than the 7.9% analysts predicted, thanks to revised numbers from January and December that were much worse than originally reported. December’s revised loss of 681,000 jobs makes it the worst month since October 1949, the Wall Street Journal reports.

A total of almost 4.4 million jobs have been lost since the recession began, and many analysts expect the vicious cycle to continue. “There is not a single sign that points to a bottom yet,” one economist told Bloomberg. “It is the worst recession in the post-war era.”

Job seekers join a line of hundreds of people at a job fair sponsored by Monster.com on Thursday, March 5, 2009 in New York.
Job seekers join a line of hundreds of people at a job fair sponsored by Monster.com on Thursday, March 5, 2009 in New York.   (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
Job seekers attend the National Career Fairs job fair in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, March 4, 2009.
Job seekers attend the National Career Fairs job fair in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, March 4, 2009.   (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Job seekers line up for assistance at an Economic Development Department office in Sunnyvale, Calif., Friday, Feb. 27, 2009.
Job seekers line up for assistance at an Economic Development Department office in Sunnyvale, Calif., Friday, Feb. 27, 2009.   (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 7 comments
nick
Mar 8, 2009 9:22 PM CDT
Allow me to say it again, only louder: THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS IN DENIAL. They are grieving over the state of their party. Ha!
Guest
Mar 6, 2009 11:12 PM CST
Every post you make you make less sense, Clinton is responsible for his own actions while in office. You are following the Democratic talking points like a machine, like they would want you to. How does it feel to have lost your ability to think for yourself.
Guest
Mar 6, 2009 11:05 PM CST
You believe that because you are a sheeple. Bahhhh!

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Economy Shows Signs of Life: GDP Jumps 2.5%

Paycheck Data Dismal in 2010


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