Indiana's jobless rate crawls up to 9.8%

Indiana's jobless rate inched up last month as the Indianapolis area's recovery paused amid layoffs among government and leisure industry workers, labor market reports show.October's state unemployment rate crept to 9.8 percent from September's 9.7 percent, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development said Friday.

The statewide jobless rate continued to outperform industrial neighbors and the nation's. The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 10.2 percent in October from 9.8 percent the month before.

Although economists say production is climbing nationwide and the recession has ended, officials remained wary about prospects for new jobs coming in large numbers.

"Indiana's unemployment rate has held relatively steady for the past three months despite a steadily climbing national rate," said Teresa Voors, workforce development agency commissioner. "However, a projected soft holiday retail season combined with a slump in manufacturing and hospitality employment tempers my optimism concerning the coming moths."

In metropolitan Indianapolis, employers reported 880,800 jobs filled last month, a decline of 2,300 since September, according to preliminary results from a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey.

Late summer job growth edged the metro jobless rate down to 7.7 percent in September from the recession peak of 8.7 percent in June and July.

October is usually a steady month for employment, but last month's slowdown could push up the local jobless rate when it is figured later this month.

Hotel, bars, restaurant and other leisure and hospitality companies let go 4,000 jobs, and government at all levels shed 2,300, all in the metro area, the BLS survey shows.

Cushioning the local economy was soft hiring in some other fields. Stores and warehouses added 100 jobs, for example, and professional services added 500. The latter class includes lawyers, accountants and temporary help agencies.
October was a decidedly negative month for the Indianapolis metro area compared with peer cities in the interior states.

Source:http://www.indystar.com/article/20091121/BUSINESS/911210328/Indiana-s-jobless-rate-crawls-up-to-9.8