Missouri jobless rate drops slightly in February

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Unemployment in Missouri has dropped again.

Data released Tuesday by the Missouri Department of Economic Development show the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged down to 4.1 percent in February compared to 4.2 percent in January.

The unemployment rate has fallen slightly in Missouri each of the past six months.

The state also gained more than 6,700 jobs from January to February. Some of the largest gains were in the leisure and hospitality field and the accommodation and food services industry.

Seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment is up by about 15,600 jobs compared to February 2016.

Last February, the jobless rate was 4.5 percent.