From the Times' Jeff Harrington:

Florida's jobs market in April left economic soothsayers with a mixed message.

The unemployment rate fell to 8.7 percent, the lowest since January 2009, but a separate statewide survey showed Florida lost 2,700 jobs month over month.

The unemployment rate, down from 9 percent in March, represents 804,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 9.26 million, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity reported Friday.

The improvement narrows the gap with the U.S. unemployment rate, which stood at 8.1 percent in April.

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