US unemployment rate rises again

The national unemployment rate ticked up another tenth of a point in January, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The jobless rate moved up to 4.8 percent last month after increasing to 4.7 percent in December. The November rate was 4.6 percent, the lowest level since 2007, according to a news release.

Despite the latest increase, nonfarm payroll employment rose by 227,000 jobs in January. According to the release, job increases last month were recorded in:
    •    retail trade, 46,000;
    •    construction, 36,000;
    •    financial activities, 32,000;
    •    food services and drinking places, 30,000;
    •    professional and technical services, 23,000; and
    •    health care, 18,000.

Industries with little change included manufacturing, information, and mining and logging, according to the release.

The number of unemployed in the United States increased to 7.6 million in January from 7.5 million in December.

The most recent BLS data put the Springfield metropolitan statistical area’s unemployment rate at 3.5 percent in December.

[[In-content Ad]]