Triangle joblessness rose again in May as the pain of this recession continued to spread across industries.
Unemployment for the eight-county region that includes Wake, Durham, Johnston and Orange increased to 8.8 percent, according to data released this morning by the N.C. Employment Security Commission and adjusted for seasonal effects by Wachovia in Charlotte.
That was up from 8.7 percent in April. More telling than the rate, though, is where the softness is showing up.
“We’re starting to see weakness spread to some parts fo the eocnomy that until recently had been holding up pretty good,” said Mark Vitner, an economist with Wachovia.
The construction and manufacturing sectors had seen much of the pain in this area, but now it is spreading to education, healthcare and government — pillars of the regional economy.
Even so, the Triangle is doing better than the state and nation overall. Unemployment in May was 11.1 percent statewide while the national average was 9.4 percent.
Assistant Business Editor Alan M. Wolf joined the N&O in 1999 covering the business of health care. He became an editor in 2001, and helps oversee the paper's daily business coverage and Sunday Work&Money section. He lives in Clayton with his wife and two children. Reach him at 919-829-4572 or 
