18 states see significant job gains, but unemployment rises

By Josh Boak, The Associated Press

WASHINGTON – Unemployment rates ticked up noticeably in six states in June, even as employers continued to add jobs and the hiring outlook improved.

The Labor Department says the unemployment rate in 21 states is now significantly below the national figure of 4.9 per cent. In Colorado, the rate jumped 0.4 point from May to a still-low 3.7 per cent as more of its population began looking for work without being hired, a positive for the economy as it suggests greater optimism.

A similar trend played out in five other states: Nevada and Oregon each saw a 0.3 per cent increase, while rates went up 0.2 points in California, Maine and South Dakota.

Employers added a significant number of jobs in 18 states last month, while three states lost a meaningful level of jobs.

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