Percentage Point: Unemployment Rate

unemployment rate: The unemployment rate rose to 7.2 per cent in the final month of the year, compared with 6.9 per cent in November. Manitoba, by comparison, saw its unemployment rate dip by a tenth of a percentage point to 5.5 per cent. , according to Winnipeg Free Press. The loonie fell 0.42 of a cent to 91.73 cents US after earlier having dipped to 91.36 cents US, its lowest level since September 2009. OTTAWA -- The Canadian economy lost a surprising 45,900 jobs in December to finish the weakest year of job growth since 2009, raising concerns about how the economy will fare into 2014. BMO Capital Markets chief economist Doug Porter said the dismal Canadian jobs data will add pressure on the loonie and stoke chatter about the possibility of an interest rate cut by the Bank of Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.