A key government measure on the nation's jobs situation reported that the U.S. unemployment rate for December went down to 9.4 percent.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Current Employment Statistics released its monthly report indicating that the U.S. added 103,000 new jobs, up from November's total of 39,000. Employment rose in leisure and hospitality and in health care but was little changed in other major industries.
Commenting on the latest figures, Pres. Obama expressed optimism on the growing strength of the economy and noted that jobs were created 12 months straight for the first time since 2006.
BLS surveys about 140,000 businesses and government agencies in order to provide industry figures on worker's employment, hours and earnings in the United States.