NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Unemployment fell again in Louisiana in February, as payrolls rose.
The jobless rate fell to 4.5 percent in February from 4.6 percent in January, as more people entered the labor force and more found jobs. Louisiana's unemployment rate was 5.7 percent a year ago.
About 95,000 Louisianans were jobless, down about 2,000 from January.
February's U.S. unemployment rate was 4.1 percent, the same as in January but below February 2017's 4.7 percent.
The separate survey of how many people are on employer payrolls, many economists' top labor market indicator, rose slightly to 1.97 million in Louisiana from January to February. That's about level with last year. Louisiana payrolls stopped shrinking in mid-2016, but haven't grown consistently since.
The U.S. Labor Department released figures Friday, adjusted to cancel out seasonal changes.
