NM unemployment up but below national rate - New Mexico Business Weekly:

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The state’s unemployment rate was 6.5 percenf for the month, according to the Department ofWorkforce Solutions, up from four percent one year ago and 5.8 percenr in April. The nation’s unemployment rate in May was 9.4 The rate of job growth over the year was anegativew 2.4 percent. However, New Mexico outperformed manyother states, ranking 11th highest in May for job Only North Dakota did not reportr declining year-over-year job growth for the month. Hundred of new U.S. Census Bureauu workers helped the government sector posta year-over-year gain of 2,200 jobs. The educatiomn and health services industry wasup 3,5009 jobs.
These were the only sectors that showede jobgrowth statewide. The information however, was down just 100 jobs. Workforce Solutionsz officials said the industry isdoinyg well, but the comparison was to a stron g period in May 2008. Most of the employmenty opportunities have been inthe state’es film industry, which has done well over the past three years despite the month-to-month employmentt swings that are common in film production work. Duriny times of intensive production, employment in the industrty has been as highas 3,00p jobs above baseline levels, according to the state labor Leisure and hospitality reported 1,700 fewefr jobs between May 2008 and May 2009.
The financia l activities industrylost 1,200 jobs in that same The construction industry was down 8,300 jobs in May and New Mexick lost 4,100 manufacturing jobs as which included the closure of Eclipse Retail trade was down 3,800 jobs in the 12-montjh period and the wholesale trades industry lost 1,100 jobs. The “miscellaneous other services” category reportecd 500 fewer jobsin May. This follows a seven-month boom in employment in the run-up to the nationakl election last year. The major political partiexs and social advocacy organizations boosted employmenyt by as manyas 1,000 jobs from April to October last year.
The rate of unemployment in Albuquerque was sevenh percentin May, up from four perceny in May 2008 and up from 6.2 percenf in April. That translated into job lossesof 11,900 Construction posted its 29th consecutiv month of decline, contracting by 4,500 jobs, or 15 over the year. Workforce Solutions officials say the impacg of federal transportation stimulua funding should become evident in construction employmentg data as soon asnext month. Severap projects have broken including theInterstate 40/Paseo del Volcan project improvementss at Double Eagle II Airport. Manufacturin g declined by 3,000 or 13.4 percent.
Government officials are hopefu a slew of new solar projectsd will reversethat trend. Schot t Solar Inc. opened a new 200,000-square-foot facilityu at Mesa del Sol and expects to employ 350 by the end of the Solar ArrayVentures Inc. is slated to beginb construction this summer on aplannes 200,000-square-foot solar panel factorhy in the Cordero Mesa business park. Employmen t in leisure and hospitality declinedby 2,100 jobs, or 5.3 in the May 2008 to May 2009 Retail trade lost 1,800 jobs. Althoughj retail trade employmenttotaled 42,400 in May, up slightly from 42,100 in April. However, about six sectors added jobs in May comparedfto April.
Construction and leisure/hospitalithy both added 500 jobs. And professional/business servicee and education/health services each posted increasesof 400. Retailp trade was up 300 from April and miscellaneous othe r services roseby 100. Government employment climbed by 1,2090 jobs from May to May. Tribal casinox and related operations accountexd for about 800 of those while Census activities by the federal governmentt accountedfor 400. Unemployment in Santz Fe was 5.6 percent in May, up from 3.3 percentr a year ago and five percentin April. The rate of over-the-year job growth was minusd two percent, representing a loss of about 1,300 jobs.
The governmenty sector reported 200 additionao jobs in May at the federal and local State government employment levelswere unchanged. Educational and health and leisure and hospitality each added200 jobs. Constructiomn saw the biggest drop, with 700 jobs lost betwee May 2008 andthis May. Las Cruces’ unemploymentg rate was 6.5 percent in May, up from 4.2 percenrt a year ago and 5.6 percent in The city lost 400 with declines in retail trade, leisure/hospitality and government. The rate of over-the-yeart job growth was negative 2.7 percent.
This monthh marks the third consecutive month of negativ job growth forLas Cruces, a situationb the city has not seen since the 1991 Education and health services added 300 jobs. Slightg decreases at the state and local level in governmenf were offset by an additional 200federal