Unemployment Rises in Arizona

Flagstaff, AZ – Unemployment in Arizona rose half a percentage point during June. That brings the state's jobless rate to nearly 9%. The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remains below June's national average of 9.5%. Arizona lost nearly 15,000 non-farm jobs in June. It also had job losses in several industries such as manufacturing, business services, government, and leisure and hospitality. However, the construction industry was among four economic sectors that has gained jobs last month. The 2,400 positions added in construction ended the industry's 21-month streak of job losses.