Employers in January hired fewer workers than expected, but the nation's unemployment rate sank to 4.7% ? the lowest level in more than four years ? and job growth in previous months was stronger than previously estimated, the government reported today. Economists were pleasantly surprised to see many signs of underlying strength in the January jobs report, including revisions that increased payroll growth in December and November by more than a combined 80,000 workers.
See "U.S. Unemployment Hits 4 Year Low", Jesus Sanchez, Los Angeles Times, February 2, 2006