For the third straight month, the unemployment rate held steady at 9.6 percent, according to new figures for the Month of October released Friday by the Labor Department.

However, there was some good news to report, as the economy added 151,000 jobs last month. The figure represents the first increase in five months and exceeded the expectations of Wall Street analystis.

Says economist Carl Ricaddonna: "It shows us that the momentum in employment is building."

The economy has made some gains this year, adding 874,000 jobs. Still, about 14.8 million people remain unemployed, a number that remains unchanged from the start of 2010

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