The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday edition that Canada's unemployment rate jumped to its highest level in years last month, bolstering bets that the Bank of Canada will deliver another large interest-rate cut next week to revive a sluggish economy. The Globe's Matt Lundy writes that the unemployment rate rose to 6.8 per cent in November from 6.5 per cent the previous month, Statistics Canada said Friday. While it was a robust month for hiring -- employers added 50,500 jobs in November, double analysts' expectations -- those gains did not keep pace with a strong increase in the number of job seekers, resulting in a higher unemployment rate. However, less encouraging was that the public sector accounted for the bulk of new positions, with a net increase of 45,000 jobs. As of late Friday morning, swaps markets were pricing in a 75-per-cent chance of a half-point cut, versus roughly 50:50 odds before the Statscan release. "The Bank seems biased to ease quickly, and the high jobless rate provides them with a ready invitation," said BMO chief economist Doug Porter in a note. "The downside to such aggressive action is that the Canadian dollar is poised to weaken further ... and housing is poised to reignite."