Traders keep bets Fed will skip December rate cut after data

Nov 20 (Reuters) - Traders on Thursday continued to bet the Federal Reserve will skip an interest rate cut in December after the latest economic data, including a government report showing the unemployment rate in September ticked up to 4.4%, though it did prompt a small pull back in those bets.

The report, which had been delayed by the government shutdown, is the last comprehensive official employment report that Fed officials will receive before their rate-setting meeting December 9-10. Short-term interest-rate futures reflected about a 70% chance that the Fed will not cut the policy rate in December, versus about 80% before the data.