Mlive: Michigan unemployment unchanged in December, still above national average

By Ben Freed Business Reporter

Posted on Wed, Jan 16, 2013 : 4:28 p.m.

Michigan’s unemployment rate held steady in December, staying at 8.9 percent. Preliminary data from the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget indicated that the annual jobless rate was also 8.9 percent, down from 10.3 percent in 2011, MLive reported.

Michigan's unemployment rate in December 2012 was 0.4 percent lower than in December 2011

AP Photo/Rick Bowmer

The national unemployment rate was 7.8 percent in December, the same as the revised figure for November.

Michigan’s 2012 job gains primarily occurred in the first half of the year, according to a report from the Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives.

Michigan’s employment rate grew by 0.7 percent between December 2011 and December 2012. That’s a slower rate than national employment, which grew by 1.7 percent. This is the third straight year Michigan has posted a decline in the annual unemployment rate.

Local area unemployment numbers for december will be available later in January. Ann Arbor's unemployment rate in November was 4.3 percent.

Read the full article on Mlive.

Tags: unemployment, unemployment rate,

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Ben Freed covers business for AnnArbor.com. You can sign up here to receive Business Review updates every week. Reach out to Ben at 734-623-2528 or email him at benfreed@annarbor.com. Follow him on twitter @BFreedinA2