A new report from the Labor Department says that the economy added 243,000 jobs in January, higher than expected. The increase helped the unemployment rate fall to 8.3%, the lowest rate in three years. The biggest gains were within the manufacturing, professional and hospitality sectors. Economists say that this another sign that the economy is recovering and that the country is moving in the right direction, however they remain cautious.
See "U.S. Jobless Rate Falls to 8.3 Percent, a 3-Year Low", Motoko Rich, The New York Times, February 2, 2012