Missouri unemployment rate shows mild improvement in April

Missouri's unemployment rate finally declined in April after nine consecutive months of increases, but the state's seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment still lost 9,300 jobs last month.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 8.1 percent in April - the same level as January - after spiking to 8.7 percent in March. An estimated 242,900 Missourians were jobless during the month of April, according to the state Department of Economic Development. April is traditionally one of the lowest unemployment months of the year.

Seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment in the Springfield metropolitan area actually grew by 400 jobs in April, according to DED data released this week.

The U.S. seasonally adjusted unemployment rate last month reached 8.9 percent, up from 8.5 percent in March. The national unemployment rate is at its highest level in 25 years.

Seasonally adjusted payroll employment decreased by 9,300 jobs in Missouri in April, with the manufacturing and leisure/hospitality sectors each losing 2,300 jobs and the retail trade sector losing 1,700 jobs, according to DED.

Industries with higher seasonally adjusted employment in April compared to March included construction and the federal government, sectors that each added more than 1,100 jobs. Since peaking in January 2008, Missouri payroll employment has dropped by 77,100 jobs, or 2.8 percent.

April employment in Missouri's metropolitan areas was relatively unchanged, except for St. Louis, which lost 3,900 jobs, and Kansas City, which lost 5,800 jobs. Included in the Kansas City decrease was a temporary layoff in the automobile industry.[[In-content Ad]]