According to the Labor Department a key measure of the number of jobs in America rose by 57,000 in September. This data may indicate that companies are reaching a point where they can?t continue to grow without hiring more people. Economists take this as an encouraging sign, but are cautious as the unemployment rate remains high.
See "Finally, a jobs tally with a positive surprise", David R. Francis, The Christian Science Monitor, October 5, 2003