Michigan's unemployment rate drops to 8.9 percent

LANSING (AP) -- State officials say Michigan's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November fell 0.2 percentage points to 8.9 percent. The Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget recently announced last month's jobless figures. The national unemployment rate for November was 7.7 percent. That's down from 7.9 percent in October. The department says Michigan's unemployment rate decline in November marked the third consecutive monthly rate decrease. The state's rate has moved downward by 0.5 percentage points since the 2012 high of 9.4 percent in August. From November 2011 to November 2012, total employment in the state increased by 46,000, or 1.1 percent. The national rate of increase over the same period was 1.9 percent. Published: Mon, Dec 24, 2012