Unemployment drops to 8.1%

THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION -- AUGUST 2012

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 96,000 in August, and the unemployment rate edged down to 8.1 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment increased in food services and drinking places, in professional and technical services, and in health care.

U.S. Private-Sector Employment Increased By 201,000 Jobs in August, According to ADP National Employment Report

ADP Press Release

ROSELAND, N.J. – September 6, 2012 – Private-sector employment increased by 201,000 from July to August on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the latest ADP National Employment Report^® released today. The ADP National Employment Report, created byAutomatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP^®), in partnership with Macroeconomic Advisers, LLC, is derived from actual payroll data and measures the change in total nonfarm private employment each month. The estimated gain from June to July was revised up from the initial estimate of 163,000 to 173,000.

U.S. Car Sales Up Double Digits In August

U.S. automakers saw double-digit gains in auto sales in August, despite economic woes, the Associated Presss reports. Total auto sales in the U.S. were projected at 1.2 million for the month, according to the report.

Here are the "Big Three" and their sales totals and percentage increases:

Brown Leads Warren By 5 Points In Latest Poll

Ken O’Brien

Democratic Senatorial candidate Elizabeth Warren is losing ground in her race against Republican incumbent Scott Brown.

This is the verdict of the latest poll from Public Policy Polling released yesterday. PPP is generally regarded as leaning Democratic in its results.

The release from PPP about the results of their poll follows: