A burst of U.S. hiring in November â€" the most in nearly three years â€" added 321,000 jobs and provided the latest evidence that the United States is outperforming other economies throughout the developed world, according to AP. In addition, the government said Friday that 44,000 more jobs were added in September and October combined than it had previously estimated. So far this year, job gains have averaged 241,000 a month, putting 2014 on track to be the strongest year for hiring since 1999. The unemployment rate remained at a six-year low of 5.8 percent. November's robust job growth, reflecting a steadily rising economy, could make it likelier that the Federal Reserve will start raising interest rates by mid-2015 as many economists have speculated. The Fed has kept its key short-term rate at a record low near zero since 2008 to support the economy. The job gains last month coincided with a sharp increase in workers' pay. The average hourly wage rose 9 cents to $24.66, the biggest gain in 17 months. Still, over the past 12 months, hourly pay has risen just 2.1 percent, barely above the 1.7 percent inflation rate. Hiring last month was broad-based but particularly concentrated in retail, temporary services and transportation and warehousing. Those increases likely reflect seasonal hiring for the holiday season. -- SPA 20:00 LOCAL TIME 17:00 GMT تغريد
