Shock rise in US jobless figures

Washington: The US unexpectedly lost 85,000 jobs in December and revisions showed payrolls increased the prior month for the first time in almost two years, indicating improvement in the labour market will be halting.

Payrolls decreased last month after a November gain of 4,000, figures from the Labour Department showed yesterday in Washington. The median estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News projected no change in December employment. The jobless rate held at 10%.

US stock-index futures, Treasury yields and the dollar all fell on concern the recovery may weaken.