Connecticut’s hiring climate continued upward momentum in October, pushing the state’s unemployment rate down to 8.7 percent, labor officials say.
A year ago, the state’s October jobless rate was 9.1 percent. Job gains lowered the September rate to 8.9 percent, the state Department of Labor said Monday.
The U.S. jobless rate fell to 9 percent in October from 9.1 percent in September — the lowest since April.
Seven of the state’s 10 major sectors showed at least modest gains from a year earlier — led by professional and business services (up 3,000 jobs), education and health services and government each up 900 jobs, the labor agency said.
The state’s adjusted total nonfarm job count reached 1,627,600, an annual increase of 10,100, or 0.6 percent from October 2010, the agency said.
The state’s financial activities and manufacturing sectors each shed 400 jobs last month, while trade, transportation and utilities was down 100 workers, the state said.
