Louisiana’s unemployment rate continued rising in July, worsening for the fourth straight month.
The state’s jobless rate rose to 4.9% from 4.7% in June. Despite the rebound, unemployment remained below the July 2017 rate of 5%.
The number of unemployed Louisianans rose by 4,000 to 105,000, as a decline in working people outstripped a smaller decline in the state’s workforce.
The separate employer payroll survey—which is many economists’ top labor market indicator—was flat at 1.99 million. Payrolls remain 21,000 above year-ago levels, thanks to strong gains in early 2018.
July’s U.S. unemployment rate fell to 3.9% from 4% in June. Louisiana has the third-highest jobless rate among states
The U.S. Labor Department released figures Friday, adjusted to cancel out seasonal changes
