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The unemployment rate fell to 8.8% in March, vs. the expectation for the rate to increase slightly to 9.0%.

That is the lowest unemployment rate reported by the Department of Labor since March of 2009.

Average hourly earnings and the average workweek were unchanged at $22.87, and 34.4 hours, respectively.

Job growth accelerated faster than expected in March, as payrolls increased 216,000, higher than the 192,000-job gain expected by economists.

CRM had had hired Matthew Miszewski as its senior vice president of global public-sector business, a role similar to the one he formerly held at MSFT, the story said.

Salesforce.com (CRM) is down 7% after a state court in Washington imposed a temporary restraining order that prevents a former Microsoft (MSFT) employee from going to work at CRM, the WSJ reports.

Lawmakers pass a one-year reduction in worker contributions to Social Security last year, helping to add more money in each weekly paycheck.

Inflation rose to 0.3% in January, in line with December, and is up 1.2% over the past 12 months.

The Commerce Department reported that the income of American workers jumped a seasonally adjusted 1% in January largely with the help of a temporary payroll tax cut, ahead of consensus estimates for an increase of 0.9%, while cons