BUSINESS MEMO: UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

Missouri unemployment increased slightly in January, but the increase was less than seasonally expected. The jobless rate was 2.8 percent in January, 0.001 percentage point higher than the revised December rate. Despite the slight increase, January's unemployment rate was well below January 1999's rate of 4.1 percent, according to the Department of Economic Development.

The slight increase was expected. According to analysts at DED's Division of Workforce Development, unemployment normally increases in January because winter weather limits construction and other outdoor activities. Retail trade and tourism also experience seasonal downturns in during the winter months.

About 81,400 Missourians were estimated to have been jobless in January, while 2,799,500 were working.

In Cape Girardeau County, more than 97 percent of the county's 37,247 workforce had jobs, for a 2.5 percent unemployment rate. That means 37,302 people at work, with 957 without jobs.

Bollinger County recorded a 4.3 percent unemployment rate; Perry County was at 2.9 percent unemployment, and Scott County at 3.5 percent unemployment.