St. Louis jobless rate continues gradual tick downward
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
June 1, 2011
By Steve Giegerich
Font Size: Default font size Larger font size Share4 The unemployment situation in the St. Louis region continues to show steady improvement despite a one-month loss of of 800 jobs from March to April.
Adjusted for seasonal employment by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the area's jobless rate now stands at 8.7 percent.
An improved rate of unemployment over a month when a region loses jobs indicates that displaced workers who had stopped searching for employment are back in the job hunt.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday that St. Louis area employers have added 12,000 workers to their payrolls over the past year.
Trade, transportation and utilities (+6,200) showed the largest gains since April, 2010. Education and health services (+3,600) and the beleaguered manufacturing sector (3,400) also showed significant progress.
The bureau's monthly employment survey of 372 metropolitan areas also reflects the upswing in hiring across the country.
A year ago, 127 regions exceeded 10 percent unemployment. This April, that number had dipped to 74.
