B.R. unemployment falls to 7% in September

The Baton Rouge area posted the most nonfarm job gains in the state in September compared to August, according to a Louisiana Workforce Commission report released today, while the state saw its unemployment rate slide to the lowest level since April 2010. The nine-parish Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area added 4,100 nonfarm jobs in September, which helped its unemployment rate fall to 7% from 7.6% in August. However, the Baton Rouge area lost a total of 800 jobs from September 2010. Goods-producing employment showed a gain of 1,800 jobs from last month and 2,100 jobs from last year. The service-providing sector added 2,300 jobs from August but lost 2,900 jobs over the year. The state, meanwhile, saw its unemployment rate fall to 6.9% in September, down from 7.2% a month previous. Louisiana had 41,300 more nonfarm jobs last month than in September a year ago. The numbers also represent an increase compared to August, for which the commission reported 30,300 more nonfarm jobs than for August 2010. Those figures are not adjusted for seasonal factors. The national unemployment rate improved to 8.8% in September from 9.1% in August, the commission says. See more details about today’s report from the LWC here.