US employers add 148,000 jobs

THE US economy added just 148,000 jobs in September, suggesting that employers held back on hiring before a 16-day partial government shutdown began October 1.

Still, hiring was strong enough to lower the unemployment rate.

The Labor Department said on Tuesday that the rate fell to 7.2 per cent, down from 7.3 per cent in August and nearly a five-year low.

The economy has added an average of 143,000 jobs a month from July through September, down from 182,000 from April through June.

Revisions to the previous two months were mixed. Employers added 193,000 jobs in August, better than the initial estimate of 169,000. But they added just 89,000 in July, the fewest in more than a year and below the previously reported 104,000.

Stock futures rose after the report was released. The weaker job figures make it more likely that the Federal Reserve will maintain its level of bond purchases when it meets next month. The bond purchases are intended to lower long-term interest rates and boost borrowing and spending.

The jobs report was delayed because of the shutdown, which may have further depressed economic growth and hiring. Temporary layoffs of federal workers and private government contractors will probably lower October's job gains. But that's likely a temporary decline.

Many economists say they won't have a clear read on hiring and unemployment until the November jobs report is released, in early December.

High unemployment has discouraged many Americans from looking for work. The percentage of Americans working or looking for work remained at a 35-year low in September.

There were some positive aspects in the latest jobs report. Several higher-paying industries added jobs at a healthy pace. Construction firms gained 20,000 positions. Government boosted payrolls by 22,000. Transportation and warehousing gained 23,400 jobs.

And average hourly pay ticked up three cents to $US24.09. In the past year, hourly pay has increased 2.1 per cent, ahead of the 1.5 per cent inflation rate.

The deceleration in job growth was a key reason the Fed decided in September to hold off on slowing its $US85-billion-a-month ($A88-billion-a-month) in bond purchases. The lack of clean data could lead the Fed to push off any decision on the bond purchases until 2014.

09.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

US employers add 148,000 jobs

THE US economy added just 148,000 jobs in September, suggesting that employers held back on hiring before a 16-day partial government shutdown began October 1.

Still, hiring was strong enough to lower the unemployment rate.

The Labor Department said on Tuesday that the rate fell to 7.2 per cent, down from 7.3 per cent in August and nearly a five-year low.

The economy has added an average of 143,000 jobs a month from July through September, down from 182,000 from April through June.

Revisions to the previous two months were mixed. Employers added 193,000 jobs in August, better than the initial estimate of 169,000. But they added just 89,000 in July, the fewest in more than a year and below the previously reported 104,000.

Stock futures rose after the report was released. The weaker job figures make it more likely that the Federal Reserve will maintain its level of bond purchases when it meets next month. The bond purchases are intended to lower long-term interest rates and boost borrowing and spending.

The jobs report was delayed because of the shutdown, which may have further depressed economic growth and hiring. Temporary layoffs of federal workers and private government contractors will probably lower October's job gains. But that's likely a temporary decline.

Many economists say they won't have a clear read on hiring and unemployment until the November jobs report is released, in early December.

High unemployment has discouraged many Americans from looking for work. The percentage of Americans working or looking for work remained at a 35-year low in September.

There were some positive aspects in the latest jobs report. Several higher-paying industries added jobs at a healthy pace. Construction firms gained 20,000 positions. Government boosted payrolls by 22,000. Transportation and warehousing gained 23,400 jobs.

And average hourly pay ticked up three cents to $US24.09. In the past year, hourly pay has increased 2.1 per cent, ahead of the 1.5 per cent inflation rate.

The deceleration in job growth was a key reason the Fed decided in September to hold off on slowing its $US85-billion-a-month ($A88-billion-a-month) in bond purchases. The lack of clean data could lead the Fed to push off any decision on the bond purchases until 2014.

09.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

Girl taken from gypsy family in Ireland

A BLONDE-HAIRED, blue-eyed seven-year-old girl has been put into care after being taken from a Roma family in Ireland.

A member of the public raised concerns about the child living with the gypsy family in a house in a south Dublin suburb.

No arrests have been made and there is no allegation of abduction against the family.

The youngster was put into the care of the Health Service Executive on Monday afternoon when the family were unable to prove her identity conclusively.

The couple have told police that the girl, who they said was born in a Dublin hospital in April 2006, is their daughter.

They have several other children who have not been taken into care.

The youngster is said to be physically well and is due to be interviewed by specialist officers.

Unlike the case where a girl, known as Maria, was found in a gypsy settlement near Farsala in central Greece, DNA tests have yet to confirm that the couple she was found with are not her parents.

The only similarity is that the girl taken into care is a blonde-haired, blue-eyed child and had a different appearance from that of the couple she was living with.

In the Greek case, a DNA test on Maria proved she was not related to Christos Salis, 39, and Eleftheria Dimopoulou, 40, and the couple have been held on charges of abduction and document fraud.

Irish police are trying to establish the identity of the girl taken into care in Dublin and have contacted Europol and Interpol about missing children while investigations continue in Ireland.

It is understood that they may seek to take DNA samples from the parents and the child to fully determine whether they are her biological parents.

09.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

Blue Mountains brace for dangerous day

RESIDENTS in the Blue Mountains who have not prepared for a day of extreme fire danger have been urged to leave the area as early as possible.

The stern warning comes as firefighters brace for the worst fire conditions since the NSW bushfire crisis unfolded last week.

Temperatures in the mid-30s teamed with wind gusts between 80-100km/h and low humidity are forecast for the Greater Hunter, Southern Highlands, Blue Mountains and Greater Sydney on Wednesday.

Fifty-five blazes are burning across the state, including 17 that are uncontained.

The most concerning fires are those around towns in the Blue Mountains, including Lithgow, Springwood and Mount Victoria.

The Rural Fire Service (RFS) says Wednesday's conditions are as bad as it gets and has advised residents to leave the area if they have no important reason to be there.

"If you are not prepared, I don't know what it takes to get a message out there that you should be prepared if you live in a bushfire-prone area or at risk area," RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said.

"If you have not prepared, if you are not comfortable about being in a high-risk area like the conditions we are expecting, then leaving early is clearly your safest option."

All schools in the Blue Mountains and TAFE campuses in Katoomba and Wentworth Falls will be closed.

Mr Fitzsimmons reinforced it was not a day off for students to hang at the skate park.

"Know where your children are, keep the family together so you can make decisions and act together as a family in the event you are threatened by fire," he said.

NSW Police has advised heavy vehicles to delay travel around the Blue Mountains with all long and wide-load escort permits revoked.

An additional 1400 firefighters are on hand to assist with base camps established at Penrith and Sydney Olympic Park.

A total fire ban is also in place.

09.52 | 0 komentar | Read More