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Arkansas Unemployment Rate Drops to 7.2 Percent

2 min read

Arkansas’ unemployment rate declined two-tenths of a percentage point from 7.4 percent in March to 7.2 percent in April, according to a report Friday from the Department of Workforce Services.

"The number of employed Arkansans increased for the ninth straight month," DWS Communications Director Kimberly Friedman said in a news release. "Higher employment in April contributed to the decrease in the unemployment rate. Compared to a year ago, there are 30,700 more employed Arkansans" 

The report said Arkansas’ civilian labor force increased by 500, to 1.39 million.

The U.S. jobless rate decreased one-tenth of a percentage point from 8.2 percent in March to 8.1 percent in April.

Since March, nonfarm payroll jobs in the state have increased 6,100 to 1,171,200. Eight major industry sectors posted gains, one sector declined and two remained stable.

  • Leisure and hospitality added the most jobs with 3,700. Hiring was mostly seasonal with food service adding 2,100.
  • Educational and health service reported an addition of 1,100 jobs. Health care and social assistance grew by 800, due to hiring in nursing-residential care facilities and at hospitals.
  • Trade, transportation and utilities were up by 600. Seasonal gains in retail and wholesale trace offset losses incurred in transportation-warehouse-utilities.

There are still 5,400 fewer nonfarm payroll jobs in Arkansas than there were in April 2011, with six major industry sectors reporting declines, offsetting growth in four other industries:

  • Jobs in professional and business services dropped 5,500 with 3,500 losses in administrative and support service.
  • Manufacturing saw 5,000 jobs lost, related to continued layoffs and closures.
  • Trade, transportation and utilities numbers decreased by 2,500.
  • Cuts made at general merchendise stores led to a loss of 2,000 in retail.
  • Leisure and hospitality added 4,800 jobs, with the growth occuring in accommodation and food services.
  • Government jobs increased by 3,700 with local government adding 4,800, making up for 1,100 jobs lost on the federal level.
  • Educational and health service rose 3,700, mostly in health care and social assistance.
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