Missouri loses 10,000 jobs in March

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri shed more than 10,000 jobs last month while the unemployment rate climbed to its highest mark in three years.

Preliminary figures from the U.S. Department of Labor show that Missouri lost jobs in nearly every employment sector last month.

The biggest March losses came in manufacturing and construction. The state lost 4,400 manufacturing jobs and 2,000 construction jobs.

Professional and business services dropped 1,500; transportation and utilities lost 1,300 jobs; and the leisure and hospitality sector shed 500 jobs.

The state's unemployment rate climbed to 5.7 percent -- its highest point since the first months of 2005. The national unemployment rate for March was 5.1 percent.