U.S. adds 146,000 jobs, unemployment rate drops to 7.7%

The U.S. economy added 146,000 jobs in November, sending the national unemployment down to 7.7 percent.

The unemployment rate is down from 7.9 percent and is now at the lowest rate since December 2008, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The number of people unemployed remained essentially unchanged at 12 million. The professional and business services, health care and retail trade industries experienced job gains.

Employment in construction declined by 20,000 in November. Manufacturing…