RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s unemployment rate climbed slightly to 9.2 percent in December from 9.1 percent in November, the state said Friday.
The figure is seasonally adjusted.
The jobless rate in October was 9.3 percent.
While the number of people working climbed 10,398 from November, the ranks of the unemployed also grew by 6,997, the North Carolina Department of Commerce's Labor and Economic Analysis Division reported.
North Carolina started 2012 with an unemployment rate of 10.2 percent. A year ago, the December rate was 10.4 percent.
The big job gainers by sector in December were:
- Education and health services, 5,900
- Professional and business services, 5,000
- Manufacturing, 700
- Information, 500
- Construction, 400
Offsetting those gains were the loss of jobs in financial activities (2,000), leisure and hospitality services (1,300), trade, transportation and utilities positions (500) and government (400).
Meanwhile, weekly applications for unemployment benefits increased in North Carolina for the week ending Jan. 5 even as they dropped sharply nationally to a five-year low.
Applications increased by more than 13,600 because of layoffs in textiles, business services, construction, furniture and transportation equipment.
County and metropolitan area jobs data will be released Jan. 30.



![[VIEW PAGE]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/news/local/politics/2007/02/06/1195254/1296152831-_NCCapitol_800x600-100x75.jpg)
![[VIEW PAGE]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/entertainment/movies/2007/12/29/2229920/2229920-1208172047-100x75.jpg)
![[VIEW PAGE]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/2008/06/05/3000786/swimming_pool-100x75.jpg)
![[VIEW PAGE]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/lifestyles/goaskmom/2011/04/28/9516059/9516069-1304016629-100x75.jpg)
![[VIEW PAGE]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/lifestyles/house_and_home/2008/07/27/3287725/Blueberries-100x75.jpg)
![[VIEW PAGE]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/traffic/2009/07/23/5645694/beltline-100x75.jpg)


WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.
This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
January 18, 2013 7:50 p.m.
January 18, 2013 6:11 p.m.
You're becoming one of my favorites around here. great post!
January 18, 2013 6:10 p.m.
January 18, 2013 6:03 p.m.
but if you look at it, not much changed overall except for a few seats. Its not near the mandate the left thinks it is. Congress was pretty much left in place. So Im thinking that even though Barry won, the people kept other things in place to make sure Barry was kept in check.
January 18, 2013 5:59 p.m.