Disappointing U.S. Job Growth; Jobless Rate Up to 9.8%

Just in time for the holidays, more lousy news on the jobs front: The U.S. economy added only a tepid 39,000 jobs in November, far fewer than expected, while the unemployment rate rose to 9.8%, the Department of Labor reports today. That rate is up from 9.6%.

Today's report is a far, and disappointing, cry from the 150,000 jobs forecast by analysts. And a steep decline from the 172,000 jobs created in October.