THE GUARDIAN: Analysts expected at least 75,000 new jobs to have been created in the US last month
No new jobs were added to the US workforce in August, fuelling fears that the world's largest economy is heading back into recession.
Analysts expected at least 75,000 new jobs to have been created in the US last month, but the figure came in at zero, sparking further falls on stock markets around the world. The FTSE 100, down around 85 points ahead of the figures, tumbled almost 140 points, to 5278, down more than 2.5%. The Dow Jones opened more than 200 points lower at 11,290, a drop of 1.75%.
Gold and German bonds, considered safe havens among increasingly nervous investors, made strong gains after figures showed US jobs growth ground to a halt in August. Gold jumped by 3%, to $1876 an ounce. » | Phillip Inman, economics correspondent | Friday, September 02, 2011
