The state economic development department says Missouri’s unemployment rate held steady last month. But the department is reluctant to say much about a trend.
The 9.3 percent rate, 278-thousand jobless Missourians still eligible for benefits….and about the same as the seasonally-adjusted figures for June, still the highest in a quarter-century. But employment gains are reported in durable goods manufacturing, and increases are reported in our two biggest cities which have been losing jobs for months.
But the calculations usually include anticipated auto industry layoffs for model changeover. And this year there were fewer jobs to be laid off from the auto industry…so that factor was not part of the calculation of unemployment percentage.
Department spokesman John Fougere says August and September might give a truer picture because other mid-year temporary factors will be gone.
The rate that is NOT seasonally adjusted is a tenth of a point higher—and that’s down a tenth from June. Missouri’s numbers are slightly under national numbers.
Upload BPs interview with John Fougere (6:47 mp3)
