Phoenix Unemployment Numbers
Jan 23rd, 2009 by Vinny
From this article: http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2009/01/19/daily52.html
Arizona dropped 12,400 jobs in December in the private and public sectors, with 9,300 of those cuts coming in the Phoenix region, according to new state figures.
The state lost 5,800 construction jobs during December and has shed 43,800 such positions since December 2007, according to the Arizona Department of Commerce. Administration services shed 3,100 positions, and local schools temporarily cut 1,100 workers during the holiday period. Mining lost 700 jobs, with copper prices and demand down.
Retail, which usually propels December jobs numbers, gained only 500 statewide, with hirings by department and specialty stores offset by losses at car dealerships and auto parts stores. Retail gained 600 jobs in December in the Valley.
The Valley’s jobless rate came in at 6.3 percent, up from 5.7 percent in November and 4.0 percent in December 2007.
The state’s unemployment rate was 6.9 percent, up from 6.3 percent in November.
Both figures are below the U.S. unemployment rate of 7.2 percent.
Yuma, whose economy is based on seasonal and fluctuating agriculture, had a jobless rate of 19.7 percent in December, up from 14.7 percent 12 months ago, according to the state Commerce Department.
