"The jobless rate in Missouri dipped in September to its lowest level in almost four years, state officials reported Tuesday.
At 6.9 percent, the state's unemployment rate is the lowest since Dec. 2008, and it fell from 7.2 percent in August as nearly 8,000 more people said they were working. Missouri's jobless rate remains well below the national average of 7.9 percent.
The Report– the last statewide count before Election Day – is good news for Gov. Jay Nixon, who is facing a challenge from St. Louis-area businessman David Spence that has focused largely on economic issues. Nixon can now claim a jobless rate that is lower than it was when he took office, despite four years of recession and sluggish recovery.
A separate survey, which measures the number of jobs at Missouri companies, is a bit less rosy. It found payroll employment of 2,657,200 in the state in September. That's up 2,500 from August, and 11,400 from the same month last year. But there are still 78,900 fewer jobs in Missouri than there were in Jan. 2009.
Both numbers take seasonal variations into account."
Figures for the St. Louis metro area will be released by the Labor Department Oct. 30. Courtesy of St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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