The Friday news briefing: An at-a-glance survey of some top stories
Highlights from the news file for Friday, Jan. 5
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JOBLESS RATE FALLS TO 40-YEAR-LOW: The unemployment rate fell to its lowest level in more than 40 years as Canada closed out a calendar year that saw it produce jobs at a pace not seen since 2002. Statistics Canada reported Friday that the unemployment rate dropped to 5.7 per cent in December, down from 5.9 per cent the month before, to reach its lowest mark since comparable data became available in 1976. Over the past 12 months, the economy added 422,500 jobs with the gains driven by 394,200 new full-time positions, the agency’s labour force survey said.
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