USA: Not all bad after the shutdown

In the US economists were in for a big surprise when the job market actually improved during and after the shutdown. Despite the domestic turmoil the US-economy has added an astonishing 204,000 jobs in October.

However, the positive news is still not enough to fill in the employment hole caused by the financial crisis. To reach the 5 per cent unemployment rate that prevailed in mid-2008 shortly before the bust, the country still needs to add another 8 million jobs. Economist Heidi Shierholz of the Economic Policy Institute notes that if payrolls continue growing at the same rate as they have over the past 12 months, unemployment won't reach its pre-recession level until 2018.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-57611572/is-the-u.s-economy-ready-to-party/