America’s unemployment rate ticks down

The U.S. unemployment rate inched down a tenth of a point to 4.9 percent in October, according the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Last month, total nonfarm payroll employment improved by 161,000 jobs, according to a news release.

Employment increases were led by professional and business services, health care and financial activities.

Employers in professional and business services hired 43,000 new people in October, bringing the industry’s 12-month total to 542,000, according to the release.

Health care employers added 31,000 jobs in October, including 19,000 in ambulatory health care services. The industry has bumped job ranks by 415,000 during the past 12 months.

The financial activities industry increased payroll ranks by 14,000, led by 8,000 jobs in insurance carriers and related activities, according to the release.

Other major industries, including mining, construction and manufacturing, changed little in October.

The BLS data is not seasonally adjusted.

Last month, the Missouri Department of Economic Development reported the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 5.2 percent in September.