U.S. unemployment rate edges downward

The national unemployment rate in February dropped to 7.7 percent, down two-tenths of a point from the December jobless rate, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The country's nonfarm payroll rose to 236,000 last month, led by gains in professional and business services, at 73,000; construction, at 48,000; and health care, at 32,000, according to a news release. 

At 12 million, the number of unemployed in the U.S. also dropped last month compared to December.