LONDON (AP) — Stocks got a lift Friday by news that the U.S. economy generated more jobs than anticipated over the past three months, reinforcing hopes that the world's largest economy will not be sliding back into recession.

The Labor Department reported that the U.S. added 103,000 jobs in September. That was above expectations for a 60,000 increase. It also revised up the previous two months' figures to show around 90,000 more jobs were created than previously thought.

However, the number of new jobs was not enough to push the 9.1 percent unemployment rate lower. The U.S. economy must create twice as many jobs per month just to keep up with population growth.

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