State sustains 2.7 million jobs in July

Economists at the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center partly attribute the dip in employment to the well-publicized nationwide problems in the housing sector finally reaching Missouri. Local government and the trade, transportation and utilities sectors also showed decreases.

Missouri’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in July, compared to 4.6 percent nationwide, the DED report said.

Several sectors experienced employment gains in Missouri:

• administrative and support services (2,300);

• educational and health services (1,600);

• manufacturing (1,500); and

• accommodation and food services industries (1,300).

Missouri has created 83,900 jobs since January 2005.