Unemployment rate at 4-year low; jobless claims dip

Fueled by major gains in retail hiring for the holiday shopping season, Arizona’s unemployment rate fell to 7.8 percent in November. The jobless rate hasn’t been this low since November 2008, when it was 7.6 percent. Employers in the state have added a net 59,600 jobs over the past year. Economists project the job growth will continue.