A new report from the Labor Department shows an increase of 114,000 jobs in September, bringing the unemployment rate down to 7.8% from 8.1%. That is the lowest unemployment rate since January 2009. The numbers for July and August were both revised upward, by 40,000 and 46,000. Both manufacturing and construction jobs grew in September. This marks the 24th straight month of job overall growth.
See "Jobless Rate Falls to 7.8%, Lowest Since January 2009", Shaila Dewan, The New York Times, October 4, 2012