NC unemployment rate climbs slightly to 9.2% in December
North Carolina's unemployment rate climbed slightly to 9.2 percent in December from 9.1 percent in November, the state said Friday.
Posted — Updated
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.
Copyright 2024 by WRAL.com and the Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
