P209 CEEFAX 209  Fri  6 Jan  21:53/57
     
      US JOBLESS RATE      
      FALLS TO 5.4%        
 
  Continuing strength in the US jobs  
  market has been confirmed bz a fall 
  in December's jobless rate to 5.4%, 
  its lowest level since July 1990.   
  
  US Labor Department figures show an 
  increase in non-farm payrolls of    
  256,000 last month.                 
  
  The increase was much-in-line with  
  Wall Street economists' average     
  forecasts of a rise of 260,000.     
  
  However, many were surprised by the 
  sharp upward revision in Novjmbjr's 
  figure to 488,000 from an initial   
  figure of 350,000.                  
 
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