Strong Economic News
(July 2004 Data)

• 11 straight months of job gains
• 1.5 million new jobs created since August 2003
• The national unemployment rate has declined to 5.5% — down 0.8% from a peak of 6.3% in June 2003 and the lowest rate since October 2001
• The 5.5% unemployment rate is below the average of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s
• The manufacturing sector has added 91,000 jobs since its low in Jan. 2004
  

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