7 Reasons Today's Employment Report Gives Us Hope For The Job Market

By Kaitlin Madden

Finally, some great news from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly employment report. Not only did unemployment drop to 8.5 percent last month – the lowest it's been since February 2009 – but the economy added about 200,000 jobs in December, close to the monthly growth rate economists say is needed to begin bringing employment back to pre-recession levels.