Jobless rate declines

WASHINGTON -- The nation's unemployment rate unexpectedly edged down to 5.8 percent in May -- the first decline in three months. But economists cautioned that the improvement was likely to be short-lived as a weak recovery keeps businesses cautious about rehiring.

The Labor Department reported today that the jobless rate fell 0.2 percentage points last month from an eight-year high of 6.0 percent in April. Economists had predicted the May rate would edge up to 6.1 percent.

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