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North Carolina Unemployment Rate for January Improves to 6.7 Percent, Just Shy of National Average

DES

March 17, 2014. The state’s seasonally adjusted January unemployment rate was 6.7 percent, decreasing 0.2 of a percentage point from December’s revised rate of 6.9 percent. The national rate decreased to 6.6 percent from December’s 6.7 percent.

North Carolina’s January 2014 unemployment rate was 2.1 percentage points lower than a year ago. The number of people employed increased 17,407 over the month to 4,356,090, and increased 45,283 over the year. The number of people unemployed decreased 11,354 over the month to 311,740, and declined 105,656 over the year.

Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm industry employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, decreased 7,200 to 4,097,000 in January. The major industry with the largest over-the-month increase was Construc- tion at 6,400, followed by Other Services, 1,900; Education & Health Services, 1,700; and Information, 400. Major industries to experience decreases were Leisure & Hospitality Services, 5,600; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 5,300; Government, 3,500; and Professional & Business Services, 3,200. Mining & Logging, Manufacturing, and Financial Activities employment remained flat over the month.

Since January 2013, Total Nonfarm jobs gained 70,100 with the Total Private sector growing by 72,200 and Govern- ment declining by 2,100. The largest over-the-year increase of major industries was in Professional & Business Ser- vices at 24,000, followed by Education & Health Services, 12,500; Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 10,900; Leisure & Hospitality Services, 7,600; Construction, 7,100; Other Services, 6,400; Financial Activities, 2,600; Information, 1,200; and Mining & Logging, 100. Major industries to experience decreases over the year were Government, 2,100; and Manufacturing, 200.

The next unemployment update is scheduled for Friday, March 21, 2014 when the county unemployment rates for January 2014 will be released.

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