Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas’ unemployment rate rose five-tenths of a percent in May to 7 percent, according to labor statistics released Friday.

The state jobless rate was more than two percentage below the national average, which increase five-tenths of a percentage point to 9.4 percent.

“New and continuing layoffs, mostly in manufacturing, contributed to the increase in the state’s unemployment rate,” said state Department of Workforce Services spokeswoman Kimberly Friedman. “Arkansas is still significantly lower than the national jobless rate.”

The state’s civilian labor force gained 1,100 in May, with 6,500 more unemployed and 5,400 fewer employed Arkansas workers. About $1.3 million Arkansans were employed during the month while 67,700 people were out of work in the state, DWS reported.

The largest drop, 1,900, was in manufacturing with durable good manufacturing accounting for most of the decline.

Educational and health services saw a 1,100 gain, most in the health care and social services assistance sector, and trade, transportation and utilities posted a moderate 600 job increase, attributed to seasonal in both retail and wholesale trade.

Jobs in professional and business services fell 1,300, with professional, scientific and technical services posting a majority of the loss, which was attributed mainly to seasonal declines in tax-related services.

Jobs in government declined 1,000, blamed mostly on seasonal decreases in unemployment at public universities.