State Jobless

Rate Remains At 5 Percent

WETHERSFIELD (AP) –– The unemployment rate in Connecticut remained unchanged at five percent in September, the state Department of Labor reported Monday.

The agency, however, said the number of nonfarm jobs decreased by 2,300 in the same month.

State officials attributed the decline to seasonal employment, the strike at Yale University, and continued job losses in the manufacturing industry.

Gains were reported in the educational, health, trade, financial, and construction fields.

“Although this appears to be mixed news, there seems to be increasing optimism that employment growth may not be too far down the road,” John Tirinzonie, a state labor economist, said.

The state jobless rate in September remained 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 6.1 percent and represented a 1.3 percent decrease in jobs from a year ago.