State adds jobs; unemployment rate remains at 5.9 percent

Indiana added 9,900 private-sector jobs in July, with more than half of them coming in the manufacturing sector, the state announced Monday morning.

Despite the job gains, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 5.9 percent due to an increase in the labor force, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development said.

The rate has fallen from 7.6 percent a year ago, but is up slightly from 5.7 percent in May.

Employment sectors showing gains were manufacturing (5,500), trade, transportation and utilities (3,200), educational and health services (2,100), construction (900) and financial activities (200).

Losses were seen in professional and business services (-2,100) and leisure and hospitality (-500).

Ohio led the Midwest in July with the lowest unemployment rate, at 5.7 percent, followed by Indiana, Illinois (6.8 percent), Kentucky (7.4 percent) and Michigan (7.7 percent).

The state did not release unemployment data for counties, cities and metropolitan statistical areas along with the statewide report, as typical, on Monday morning. It said those numbers would be reported Tuesday after federal validation.

The national unemployment rate for July stood at 6.2 percent, going up one-tenth of a percentage point from June.

Federal figures show about 192,000 people were looking for jobs in Indiana last month.