Poll Watch: U.S. Unemployment Rises to 8.6 Per Cent

U.S. unemployment, as measured by Gallup without seasonal adjustment, increased slightly to 8.6% in January from 8.5% in December, but was down from 9.9% in January a year ago.

And underemployment surged:

Underemployment, a measure that combines the percentage of workers who are unemployed with the percentage working part time but wanting full-time work, surged to 18.7% in January. This is a worsening from the 18.3% of December but is still below the 19.0% of a year ago

Well, there has been a deterioration and not any dramatic improvement since the first of the year.

What does this mean?

No bragging rights for the Obama Administration that the economy,including unemployment is making a dramatic recovery, but no doom and gloom about accelerating unemployment either.

Stay tuned as the government will release probably improving numbers tomorrow.