155,000 Jobs Added in December, Unemployment Rate 7.8%

A surprisingly uneventful report, as BLS reports that 155,000 Jobs were added in December, right on top of the 152,000 expected, and in line with the number needed to keep up with the growth in the population, or at least the Old Normal growth - in the New Normal only handouts matter. The unemployment rate was 7.8%, vs the 7.7% expected: who else is surprised that the rate is now rising with Obama reelected and when a lower unemployment rate means an earlier end to QE4EVA? The November unemployment rate was revised from 7.7% to 7.8%, just so headlines can proclaim the rate was unchanged. According to the household survey 191,000 jobs were added. Average hourly earnings for all employees rose 0.3% in December from November, compared to the 0.2% expected. The confusion continue as the BLS reports retail jobs were mysterioualy down by 19,000 even as every retailer announced it was hiring th...