U.S. unemployment rate ticks up slightly in May

Though nonfarm payroll employment increased by 175,000 jobs last month, the national jobless rate ticked up a tenth of a point, according to data released this morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The payroll figure beats the average of 172,000 jobs per month during the last year.

Still, the U.S. unemployment rate registered at 7.6 percent in May, up from 7.5 percent in April. Roughly 11.8 million people were unemployed last month, which was largely unchanged, according to a news release.

The economy made headway in professional and business services, food services and drinking places, and retail trade. Within these industries:

• Professional and business services employers added 57,000 jobs;
• Food services and drinking places employment expanded by 38,000 jobs; and
• Retail trade added 28,000 jobs.

Other major industries showed little change last month, including mining and logging, construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, and financial activities, the release said.

In Springfield during May, the Missouri Career Center hosted job fairs that drew nearly 700 job seekers in five days.

According to the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, five companies are actively hiring more than 1,000 workers, led by Mercy filling 500 positions for its nearly completed orthopedic hospital and T-Mobile filling 250 spots at its call center. Other companies hiring through Missouri Career Center include Teletech Holdings Inc., Wyndham Worldwide Corp. and Prime Inc.

The Springfield metro area’s most recently released unemployment rate was 5.4 percent in April.