WASHINGTON—The U.S. economy has reached an unusual sweet spot in its ninth year of expansion. Nonfarm payrolls rose a seasonally adjusted 228,000 in November after a 244,000 gain the month before, the Labor Department said Friday. That marked the best two-month stretch since the middle of last year and the 86th straight month of payroll expansion. Steady hiring has in turn driven the unemployment rate down to 4.1% for two straight months, the lowest level in 17 years.

Source: Wall Street Journal December 08, 2017 13:32 UTC