Brazil’s unemployment rate fell to 8 percent in July, the lowest this year and down from 8.1 percent in June, the national statistics agency said today in a report distributed in Rio de Janeiro. The drop surprised 23 of 25 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg, who expected the jobless rate to rise.

“The recovery of the Brazilian economy is unmistakable,” said Alexandre de Azara, chief economist at BRZ Investimentos SA in Sao Paulo. “The unemployment number in July was much better than expected. If there were any bets of an additional cut in interest rates, after this report, they no longer exist.”

Also, our unemployment rate drop was because of more people getting jobs, not because more people became “bums” (as John and Adam would say), which is what happened last month in the US.

OK, I triggered you guys, let the flame war begin…