US Unemployment Rate: 1994 - 2008

The unemployment rate crept up to 6.5% in October from 6.1% in September. This is the highest it has been since 1994. So far in 2008, 1.179 million jobs have been lost.

US Unemployment Rate: 1994 - 2008

In retail sales, usually the last bastion of employment for those thrown out of other jobs, the cumulative number of jobs lost since November 2007 ( a year ago) is 325,000.

Cumulative Jobs Lost in Retail Since November 2007