News

CITY CONTINUES DOWNWARD UNEMPLOYMENT TREND

By Amy Riggin/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Thursday, June 4, 2009 9:32 AM CDT

Although the Pine Bluff metropolitan statistical area still outpaced the rest of the state for the number of jobless in April, the rate has been on a steady downward trend since January.

Preliminary data from the state Department of Workforce Services Wednesday indicates that the Pine Bluff area had a 7.9 percent unemployment rate in April, down from 8.3 percent in March. February had a rate of 8.8 percent and January was even higher at 9.4 percent.

The Pine Bluff area’s jobless rate rose 1.6 percent from April 2008.

Kimberly Friedman, DWS communications director, said the rates for metropolitan areas are not seasonally adjusted.

Various factors

There are certain factors or conditions that happen every year, like when schools close down for the summer, she said. If the rate is seasonally adjusted, those things are factored out because it could cause the rate to sharply rise or become exceptionally low.

The seasonally adjusted rate for Arkansas in April remained at 6.5 percent, while the unadjusted rate was 6.4 percent. The national jobless rate increased from 8.5 percent in March to 8.9 percent in April.

The following is a breakdown of rates in the state’s other MSAs: