Minnesota Economy Adds Jobs in July

ST. PAUL  (AP) - Minnesota employers added 6,800 jobs in July, the second month in a row that the state gained jobs.

The Department of Employment and Economic Development released the July job numbers on Thursday. While jobs were added, the state's unemployment rate climbed two-tenths of a percent to 5.8 percent, due to seasonal adjustments.

That's still well below the U.S. unemployment rate of 8.3 percent.

Over the last two months, the state has added 11,000 new jobs. That compares to a net gain of 200 jobs from February to May.

Large areas of job growth in July were government, trade and transportation, professional and business services, manufacturing, education and health services and financial activities. The biggest job losses occurred in leisure and hospitality, and construction.

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