Robust rise in US payrolls; jobless rate at 9-year low

Washington

US hiring picked up in November while the unemployment rate tumbled to a nine-year low on a drop in the number of people in the workforce and wages unexpectedly declined, providing a mixed picture of the labour market.

The 178,000 gain followed a 142,000 rise in October that was less than previously estimated, a Labor Department report showed on Friday. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey called for a 180,000 advance. The jobless rate fell 0.3 percentage point to 4.6 per cent as labour participation dropped for a second month.