August Job Gains Drive Down State’s Unemployment Rate

   ST. PAUL (AP) - Minnesota has gained 4,200 jobs in August, driving down the state's unemployment rate to 4.3 percent.

State officials said Thursday that seasonally adjusted unemployment rate had fallen to its lowest level in eight years. The national average unemployment rate for August was 6.1 percent.

Construction and business services jobs were responsible for more than 80 percent of August's job gains. Only financial activities and hospitality and leisure sectors reported job losses in August.

Yearly figures show government has added nearly 18,000 jobs in Minnesota in the past year, the largest gains.