U.S. unemployment rate drops to 8.1%

Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 96,000 jobs in August, dropping the U.S. unemployment rate two-tenths of a point to 8.1 percent month-to-month. In August 2011, the national jobless rate was 9.1 percent, according to a  U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics news release.

Employment increases were highest in the food services and drinking places; professional and technical services; and health care industries.

Among those industries:

• Food services and drinking places employment increased by 28,000 during August.
• Employment in professional and technical services rose by 27,000 jobs, led by 11,000 jobs in computer systems design and related services, and 9,000 jobs in management and technical consulting services.
• Health care employment increased by 17,000 jobs, including 14,000 jobs in ambulatory health care services and 6,000 jobs in hospitals.

Manufacturing employment dropped by 15,000 during the month, and employment in other major industries - including mining and logging, construction, retail trade, transportation and warehousing, information and government - showed little changes, the release said.

In 2012, nonfarm payroll employment gains have averaged 139,000 per month, compared to an average of 153,000 per month in 2011.

The most recent local data showed Missouri had a 7.2 percent unemployment rate in July, and the Springfield metropolitan statistical area's jobless rate was 6.7 percent during the same month.