Fewer cities report decline in unemployment rate

Unemployment fell in more than half of the nation's largest cities in October while rising in nearly a third, offering a mixed hiring picture.

The Labor Department says the jobless rate dropped in 200 of the 372 largest metro areas in October compared to the previous month.

It rose in 108 and remained the same in 64.

That's the fewest areas showing improvement since July. In September, unemployment fell in 321 metro areas and rose in only 31.

There were positive signs: Ten metro areas reported jobless rates of 15 percent or higher - eight of them in California. That's down from 13 in September and 17 in July.

And 102 areas reported unemployment of at least 10 percent, down from 124 in August.

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