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Box 1354 St. Louis, MO 63188 Voice: 314-771-0200 Fax: 314-771-0300 To submit news, contact: editor@slfp.com To advertise, contact: advertising@slfp.com Missouri Unemployment Remains at Lowest Level in Four Years JEFFERSON CITY, (SLFP.com), October 23, 2005 - Missouri's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for September remained at a four-year low and was 1.1 points below the rate of a year ago, the Department of Economic Development has reported. Missouri's unemployment rate for September went from 4.6 percent in August to 4.8 percent last month. In August, Missouri's unemployment rate dropped a full point and both August and September figures are the lowest since 2001. The not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 4.6 percent in September, little different from August's 4.5 percent rate. A year ago, September's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.7 percent while the not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 5.9 percent. Since the beginning of the year, more than 38,000 new jobs have been created in Missouri. "While I am pleased Missouri's unemployment rate continues to be at its lowest level in four years, there are certain times of year when employment numbers can fluctuate," Gov. Matt Blunt said. "Regardless of those fluctuations, we are encouraged that we have seen sustained employment growth throughout most of the year." Nonfarm payrolls showed 16,000 fewer jobs in September than in August, but this decrease seems mostly the result of timing for the beginning of the new school year. Some industries reported higher employment in September. Manufacturing employment was up by 1,100 jobs, while construction added 1,000. The group of "other services" including personal services added 2,200 jobs over the month. With the fall semester beginning early this year, employment gains at schools, both public and private, appear to have occurred early enough to have been reflected in August employment figures, pushing up the seasonally-adjusted August estimates in those industries. The September reports from schools and colleges showed little employment change from August levels when a gain would have been the expected seasonal movement. The result was a decrease in the seasonally adjusted employment figure from August. Seasonally adjusted employment in educational and health services was down by 4,300 jobs between August and September, but the September level was about the same as in July. In government, where public schools and colleges are reported, employment decreased by 8,600 jobs in September, bringing the seasonally adjusted level back down to about what it was in June. Leisure and hospitality employment was down by 4,300 jobs in September following substantial summer gains. High fuel prices may have contributed to less travel. This could also have contributed to the 1,500-job decrease in trade, transportation, and utilities, both in the transportation industries and in retail trade as consumers may have cut back on shopping. Over the past year, employment has grown by 29,500 jobs or 1.1 percent. (These comparisons use not seasonally adjusted data, to provide maximum industry detail.) Goods-producing employment is up by 1.2 percent over the year. Construction has added 1,700 jobs, while manufacturing employment has grown by 3,400. Transportation equipment manufacturing has grown by 1,100, despite a decrease of 1,000 in motor vehicles that reflects the effect of high gas prices on the sales of larger vehicles. Machinery manufacturing has added 900 jobs over the year. In the service-providing sectors, employment has grown by 23,900 jobs, or 1.1 percent. Health care and social assistance has led the way, adding 7,300 jobs for 2.4 percent growth. Financial activities employment has grown by 4,200 or 2.6 percent reflecting strong demand for loans and real estate transactions. The professional and business services industries have added 4,100 jobs, including 2,000 in employment services and other administrative support sectors. Specialty retailing has helped propel employment in trade, transportation and utilities upward by 3,100 jobs. Food and beverage and general merchandise stores experience over-the-year decreases. The leisure and hospitality industries have grown by 2,100 jobs on balance, though the accommodations sector is down by 1,100. Other services employment grew by 1,700, while information added 1,400 over the year. State government employment is down by 1,200 jobs over the year. Archived: Small Employers Offer More Flexibility; Large Employers Offer More Benefits Offsite Workers Feel Less Connected With Employers Missouri Unemployment Rate Hits Four Year Low Missouri Career Centers Responding to Hurricane Katrina Evacuees Travel Industry Jobs Impacted by Hurricane Katrina Major Re-organization Designed to Create Jobs in Missouri Maintaining Health Insurance Is More Important Than Pay Increase Missouri Labor Market Shows Improvement Mortgage Rates Rise Following Employment Report National Job Quality is Declining 18- to 34-Year-Olds, Low Earners Tops Among Job-Hoppers 'Class of 9/11' Finds Patriotism Is Not Enough to Work for Government Laptops, Not Autos, Tempt Today's Job Seekers Survey Highlights Mothers as Ideal Workplace Leaders Worker's Compensation Reform Bills Protect Missouri Jobs Employment Rebounds in St. Louis Missouri Quality Jobs Act to Create Jobs, Spur Economic Growth Smurfit-Stone Anticipates Job Growth at New Headquarters in St. Louis County Worker Confidence Drops Sharply in February Employment Market Minority-Owned Businesses Boost Local Economies in Tight Job Market Workers Rate Bosses Highly, But Say They Can Do the Job Better U.S. Households Led by Single Mothers and Displaced Homemakers on the Rise Job Market Continues Growth As Worker's Confidence Levels Increase    The Saint Louis Front Page is owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan Saint Louis area. 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