U.S. Unemployment Rate Jumps To 9.8 Percent

http://www.npr.org/2010/12/03/131778880/unemployment-rate-jumps-to-9-8-percent

The nation's unemployment rate rose to 9.8 percent in November after holding steady for months, defying analysts' expectations and raising concern that the economic recovery is losing steam

Last month, retailers slashed 28,100 jobs, while factories cut 13,000, financial firms shed 9,000 and construction companies trimmed 5,000.

The retailers is especially concerning at a time when seasonal hirings should be boosting employment in that sector in a supposedly recovering (or any) economy.