Telecom Firms Trim Payrolls, Computer Manufacturers Add Jobs in November

The computer and electronic products manufacturing field added 900 jobs in November, breaking from nine consecutive months of job losses in the industry, according to data released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The computer and peripheral manufacturing field also added jobs last month, increasing payrolls by 200 employees.

The telecommunications industry cut 2,000 jobs in November, marking the second consecutive month of losses. In October, telecom employers cut 7,900 workers from payrolls.

The U.S. labor force overall added 178,000 jobs in November, compared to a 142,000 gain the previous month. The unemployment rate fell to 4.6 percent last month, its lowest level since August 2007.