JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Department of Economic
Development says
Missouri's unemployment rate has dropped to
its lowest point since September 2008.
The unemployment rate in Missouri fell to six point five percent- its
lowest point in 52 months during January 2013. Missouri's unemployment rate has now been
lower than the national unemployment rate, which is at 7.9, for 41 consecutive
months.
Spokesman John Fougere with the
Department of Economic Development says the unemployment rate fell over three
full points in the last three and a half years and he says that's going in the
right direction.
Fougere says the impressive part
about Missouri's low unemployment rate is the overall trend which he says
is what's emphasized every month. "Although we had a month where there was
some jobs lost, or the jobs gained total can fluxuate through a number of
variables every month, so we look at the long-term trend," Fougere says.
He adds it's also positive for the
state economy. "Just two or three years ago, CNBC did a rating of the top and most
diverisified state economies in the nation," he says. "Missouri came in fourth because we have
stregths in so many areas such as agriculture, finance, and transportation.
There's so many areas where Missouri does well."
However, the state's payrolls
decreased by 4,700 jobs in January 2013.
