Mo. adds 2nd-most jobs nationally in October

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- For the second straight month, Missouri is among the nation's leaders in job growth, but the unemployment rate also inched higher.

Missouri added 5,300 jobs in October -- the second highest nationally. In September, Missouri led the nation.

Despite the gains, the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose in October by one-tenth of a percentage point to 6.5 percent.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the biggest gainers were in the government and the leisure and hospitality sectors. The only loss was in the trade, transportation and utilities sector, which shed 2,800 jobs in October.

The manufacturing sector grew by 300, while construction posted a 500-job gain. It's the first time both sectors have recorded increases in the same month since November 2006.