The Triangle's jobless rate rose slightly in June, reflecting the fragile state of the economic recovery.
This region remains relatively healthy compared with the state and the nation, but the local unemployment rate is high by historical standards.
The rate increased to 8 percent in June from a revised 7.9 percent in May, according to data released today by the N.C. Employment Security Commission and adjusted for seasonal effects by Wells Fargo economist Mark Vitner.
The seasonally adjusted numbers provide better comparisons, economists say. The ESC adjusts the state's jobless rate each month.
Some of the increase in the local rate can be tied to lost government jobs as the Census winds down, and more people giving up looking for work, Vitner said.
"The longer range trend is still down," he added. "We're seeing a more good news and less bad news. We're seeing a pick-up in hiring plans."
Employers in sectors such as technology and manufacturing are expanding again, and tourism is rebounding, making hotels and restaurants busier, he added.
The Triangle jobless rate will likely continue to rise during the next several months, as more people reenter the workforce, Vitner said.
Nearly 67,000 people in this region were counted as unemployed last month, the ESC reported. That doesn't include people who have stopped looking for work.
In recent weeks, companies such as Ceridian, a business services provider, and Kuehne + Nagel, a shipping firm, have announced plans to close local operations and eliminate hundreds of jobs.
But that negative news has been tempered by recent announcements from companies such as IBM and Becton Dickinson about plans to add hundreds of new jobs.
The state rate fell to 10 percent in June, but remained above the national rate of 9.5 percent. Last month, 55 of North Carolina's 100 counties had jobless rates at 10 percent or higher.
In Charlotte, the state's largest metropolitan area, the seasonally adjusted jobless rate fell to 10.7 percent in June from 11 percent in May. That market has a higher concentration of jobs in the hard-hit financial services and manufacturing sectors.
"We still have a long way to go," Vitner said.
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
Comments
Anyone who thinks this country is not in the Hands of Corps
Fri, 07/23/2010 - 18:21 — henryeAnyone who thinks this country is not in the Hands of corporations is only deluding themselves. as long as these special interest Groups can buy their way in controlling This Country nothing is going to change. Only when this country is completely out of money will they move out to greener pastures. They have owned every President since the country was founded. Thats all they need to do control the White House and a few members of both houses.
But It's The Summer of Recovery
Fri, 07/23/2010 - 16:42 — JustShutUpMaybe Biden was talking about going to an AA meeting and not jobs.
Waaaahhh
Fri, 07/23/2010 - 15:39 — readeracctLibs blaming Bush. Libs jealous of the wealthy. That story never ends. Let me get out my violin for ya and play a little tune. Just put a little Change in my tip jar before it gets taxed away.
The important question is: "What's this administration doing to improve things?" Anyone? Anyone?
Pretty good
Fri, 07/23/2010 - 14:54 — RonBCompared to the hundreds of thousands of jobs lost per moth at the end of the Duuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhbya White House, I'd much rather have the current system.
Unlike some, I remember recent history, when the Bush Deficit Expansion gave billions to the weathly who in turn created a net loss in jobs. Thanks but no thanks.
Combine that with making banks bail themselves out and not being able "earn" money by betting against themselves, we've had the real change I hoped for.
I hope we don't change back to the bad old days when the GOP was in charge. But we are a few "Diebold voting machine errors" away from taking our country away from Americans and giving it back to the corporations.
Fine, thank you
Fri, 07/23/2010 - 14:41 — GetSeriousI have a job and I HOPE that doesn't CHANGE when the Republicans take over in November. You betcha. *wink wink*
Hows that Hope & Change and
Fri, 07/23/2010 - 11:38 — PhantomLordHows that Hope & Change and "Jobs Governor" working out for ya?