Hardware Retailing The Industry's Source for Insights and Information
The unemployment rate declined from 7.3 percent to 7.0 percent in November, and total non-farm payroll employment rose by 203,000, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment increased in transportation and warehousing, health care and manufacturing.
Both the number of unemployed persons, at 10.9 million, and the unemployment rate, at 7.0 percent, declined in November. The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was essentially unchanged at 4.1 million in November. These individuals accounted for 37.3 percent of the unemployed.
The civilian labor force rose by 455,000 in November, after declining by 720,000 in October, a number that reflects those furloughed during the government shutdown. Total non-farm payroll employment increased by 203,000 in November. Job growth averaged 195,000 per month over the prior 12 months.
Retail trade employment continued to expand in November (22,000), specifically within general merchandise stores (14,000), sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores (12,000) and in automobile dealers (7,000). Over the past 12 months, job growth in retail trade averaged 31,000 per month.
Job growth also occurred in transportation and warehousing (31,000), health care (19,000), manufacturing (27,000), professional and business services (55,000), food services and drinking places (18,000) and construction (17,000).
Employment in other major industries, including mining and logging, wholesale trade, information technology and financial activities, showed little or no change in November.
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