April Unemployment Rate 7.8 Percent
State Unemployment Rate Drops for Ninth Consecutive Month
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Commissioner of Labor & Workforce Development Karla Davis announced today Tennessee’s unemployment rate for April fell to 7.8 percent, down from the March revised rate of 7.9 percent. The national unemployment rate for April 2012 was 8.1 percent, 0.1 percentage point lower than the March rate.
“While Tennessee’s unemployment rate has declined for nine consecutive months, April’s decrease is mostly attributable to a shrinking labor force,” said Commissioner Davis. “This is similar to the monthly change that occurred on the national level.”
Economic Summary:
· The unemployment rate has declined for nine consecutive months.
· Tennessee’s April unemployment rate is the lowest since November 2008.
· The number of unemployed persons is the lowest since November 2008.
· The number of unemployed persons has declined for 16 consecutive months.
· The labor force has declined for four consecutive months.
Seasonally Adjusted Nonfarm Employment – Business Survey |
|||||
(Numbers in thousands) |
April 2011 |
Revised Mar. 2012 |
Preliminary April 2012 |
Change from |
Change from |
Total Nonfarm |
2,652.5 |
2,694.1 |
2,695.8 |
43.3 |
1.7 |
Mining/logging/construction |
108.2 |
115.1 |
113.9 |
5.7 |
-1.2 |
Manufacturing |
303.6 |
310.2 |
312.0 |
8.4 |
1.8 |
Trade/transportation/utilities |
561.7 |
557.3 |
558.9 |
-2.8 |
1.6 |
Information |
44.3 |
44.2 |
44.1 |
-0.2 |
-0.1 |
Financial activities |
135.1 |
135.5 |
135.2 |
0.1 |
-0.3 |
Professional/business services |
320.5 |
329.4 |
327.6 |
7.1 |
-1.8 |
Education/health services |
379.8 |
388.9 |
389.3 |
9.5 |
0.4 |
Leisure/hospitality |
265.7 |
270.3 |
271.8 |
6.1 |
1.5 |
Other services |
101.7 |
101.9 |
101.8 |
0.1 |
|
Government |
431.9 |
441.3 |
441.2 |
9.3 |
-0.1 |
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