The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Local News

November 19, 2009

Minnesota Employers Add 2,200 Jobs in October

~Unemployment rate edges up to 7.6 percent

Minnesota employers added 2,200 jobs in October, according to figures released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

 

The state's unemployment rate climbed 0.2 percent from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted 7.6 percent. The U.S. unemployment rate in October was 10.2 percent.

 

"A gain in jobs combined with an uptick in the unemployment rate are consistent with what economists often expect at the turning point of a recession," said DEED Commissioner Dan McElroy. "October's job growth in six of the industry sectors is a positive sign, and the widening gap between the state's and nation's unemployment rates is also noteworthy."

 

Professional and business services gained the most jobs during the month, adding 5,500 positions, followed by education and health services (up 3,700), leisure and hospitality (up 1,700), government (up 1,600), information (up 300) and financial activities (up 200). Logging and mining was flat for the month.

 

More than half of the gains in professional and business services were in the component that comprises temporary help, up 3,200. August and September also showed solid growth in this category, up 2,100 and 1,300, respectively.

 

"Employment growth in temporary help is a leading indicator of an economic recovery, and we are hoping that this three-month trend continues," McElroy said.

 

Job losses occurred in trade, transportation and utilities (down 4,900), manufacturing (down 4,500), construction (down 1,200) and other services (down 300).

 

Over the past year, education and health services added 11,700 jobs.

 

Job losses occurred over the past 12 months in manufacturing (down 41,300), professional and business services (down 25,400), trade, transportation and utilities (down 22,700), construction (down 13,700), leisure and hospitality (down 8,500), other services (down 2,800), information (down 2,500), government (down 2,300), financial activities (down 1,700), and logging and mining (down 1,300).

 

In the state's Metropolitan Statistical Areas, over-the-year job losses occurred in the Duluth-Superior MSA (down 4.1 percent), Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA (down 3.6 percent), Rochester MSA (down 1.3 percent) and St. Cloud MSA (down 3.4 percent).

Additional information on the October employment figures is available at www.PositivelyMinnesota.com.

 

 

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