Gains in southeast drives down Michigan jobless rate

LANSING (AP) -- Michigan says that job gains in the populous southeastern corner of the state have driven down the seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate. The Department of Technology, Management & Budget released the February figures last Thursday for Michigan and its 17 major job markets. The department says the statewide unadjusted jobless rate fell 0.4 percentage points to 9.4 percent in the latest month. The Detroit area has about half the state's population, and its jobless rate fell from 11.3 percent in January to 10.2 percent I February. The state says that the neighboring Monroe labor market saw its unemployment rate fall 0.7 percentage points to 8.2 percent in February. The department reports little or no change in the other 15 markets. Published: Mon, Apr 8, 2013