Friday, December 18, 2009

Unemployment Drops in 36 States; Remains Unchanged in 8

From the BLS:

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally lower in November.
Thirty-six states and the District of Columbia recorded over-the-month unemployment rate decreases, 8 states registered rate increases, and 6 states had no rate change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the year, jobless rates increased in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The national unemployment rate edged down in November to 10.0 percent, 0.2 percentage point lower than October, but3.2 points higher than November 2008.

In November, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 19 states and decreased in 31 states and the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-month increase in employment occurred in Texas (+17,300), followed by Ohio (+5,400), Georgia (+4,800), and Arizona and Iowa (+4,300 each) Alaska experienced the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment (+0.5 percent), followed by Iowa (+0.3 percent). The largest over-the-month decrease in employment occurred in Florida (-16,700), followed by Michigan (-14,000), California and Pennsylvania (-10,200 each), and New Jersey (-9,400). Hawaii (-1.0 percent) experienced the largest over-the-month percentage decrease in employment, followed by Nevada (-0.7 percent) and Maine, Mississippi, and Montana (-0.6 percent each). Over the year, nonfarm employment decreased in all 50 states and increased in the District of Columbia. The largest over-the-year percentage decreases occurred in Nevada (-6.1 percent), Wyoming (-6.0
percent), Michigan (-5.9 percent), Arizona (-5.6 percent), and Oregon
(-5.2 percent).


Because this is good economic news it is an inherently flawed report that is nothing more than government propaganda. If it was bad news, then the numbers would be sacrosanct.

Thanks to NDD for the email on this...