U.S. unemployment rate rises month-to-month

The national unemployment rate rose a tenth of a point to 7.3 percent in October compared to September.

Despite the jobless rate bump, total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 204,000 jobs last month. Job growth has averaged 190,000 per month during the past year, according to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics news release.

Employment gains were recorded in the leisure and hospitality, retail trade, professional and technical services, manufacturing and health care industries.

October employment notes:

• Leisure and hospitality employers added 53,000 jobs last month, led by 29,000 jobs in food services and drinking places.
• Retail trade employment rose by 44,000 jobs.
• Professional and technical services increased by 21,000, with 8,000 jobs in management and technical consulting services.
• Manufacturing added 19,000 jobs.
• Health care employment increased 15,000 during the month.

Among declines was a job loss of 12,000 in federal government employment, the release said.

During August, the Missouri unemployment rate was 7.2 percent, and the Springfield metropolitan statistical area jobless rate registered at 6.2 percent, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.