Missouri unemployment edges up in April, still below national rate

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The state's unemployment rate edged up in April to 4.6 percent but remained below the national rate, state economic officials said Thursday.

That seasonally adjusted rate compares with 4.5 percent in March and is below the 5.5 percent rate a year earlier. The national rate in April was 4.7 percent.

Missouri reported a nonfarm payroll increase of just 300 jobs in April from March. Neighboring Illinois gained more than 23,000 jobs, while Ohio added more than 18,000.

Compared with a year ago, Missouri has added 29,600 jobs, about a 1.1 percent increase, for a total of 2,757,500.

The state Department of Economic Development said most industries saw job growth, led by the trade, transportation and utilities sector, which gained 8,100 jobs over the year, seasonally adjusted, though its employment fell 1,300 compared with March.

Another leader was the education and health services industry, which increased by 7,800 for the year, and 1,800 for the month.

The construction sector also rose by 1,300 from March to April. But those monthly gains were largely offset by job losses in the trade and manufacturing industries.

Government jobs rose by 2,600 over the year.

The main exception to the growth trend was in manufacturing, where employment fell by 4,400 jobs over the past year, fueled partly by the closing of a motor vehicle plant.