|
|
| |
| Wed, Dec. 3, 2008 |  |
 |
|
||
| |
Arkansas unemployment rate falls Wednesday, Jan 24, 2007 Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas' unemployment rate fell one-tenth of 1 percent to 5.1 percent in December, labor statistics released Tuesday showed. The national unemployment rate remained unchanged from November at 4.5 percent. The state jobless rate was 4.7 percent a year ago. The latest numbers from the state Department of Workforce Services show that the number of Arkansas workers increased 4,100 to 1,320,200 in December, while the number of unemployed Arkansans decreased 1,700 to 71,000 during the month. "Recalls from temporary layoffs in the manufacturing sector and additional hiring in the trade, transportation and utilities sector contributed to the unemployment rate's decline in December," department spokeswoman Kimberly Friedman said. The state added 1,900 manufacturing jobs between November and December, mainly because of recalls after temporary layoffs in the electrical equipment segment, the state reported. Still, since December 2005, manufacturing jobs have fallen by 3,900 positions. Hiring at retail stores during the holiday shopping season fueled a 1,600 job-surge in the trade, transportation and health services sector in December. On the year, the biggest employment gain came in the educational and health services segment. Employment rose by 3,900 jobs, powered by a 3,500 gain in the health care and social assistance segment, the report showed. Professional and business services jobs increased by 3,600 in the past year, while trade, transportation and utilities jobs were up by 1,800 and the leisure and hospitality sector posted a 2,800-job gain. State government jobs fell by 400 in December, but were up by 600 on the year. |
