ECONOMIC REPORT

Economists: Jobs Data Won't Affect Election

Latest unemployment report showed increase in U.S. payroll.

Even though economic data released Friday for the month of October showed an increase in 171,000 new jobs, economists said on Friday that the data are unlikely to have any impact on Tuesday's presidential election. Obama supporters have hoped that the news will aid the incumbent's campaign, which has been struggling with the economic woes of the past few years, in its final days. But according to a poll of 45 economists, the modest increases will have little to no effect on the election, with 24 saying impact would be "neutral" and another 15 saying it would be "insignificant." On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said that U.S. payroll grew in October, although the unemployment rate ticked up slightly to 7.9 percent.