Unemployment Rate Falls, yet Outlook still Grim
The outlook for jobs became a bit less bleak Friday after the government released January's unemployment rate showing an unexpected decline from 10 percent to 9.7 percent, the first drop in seven months. However, the White House forecasts an average unemployment rate of 10 percent for 2010. President Barack Obama said the drop in the unemployment rate was "cause for hope but not celebration." Obama said the figures show modest progress, but he cautioned that the data will continue to fluctuate for months. In this recession, the job market is still weighed down by little to no hiring due to…