Connecticut”™s jobs picture was “disappointing” in the words of a state economist, with the unemployment rate staying flat at 7.7 percent and data suggesting Fairfield County employers shed more than 1,500 jobs in April, of 4,100 statewide cuts.
Connecticut”™s normal spring gains had yet to materialize as of April,  according to the Connecticut Department of Labor (DOL), in part because job levels in key sectors were already high due to a mild winter. Construction showed the biggest decrease, despite several large projects underway in Fairfield County.
Average weekly initial claims for jobless benefits dropped 2.5 percent from March, to just under 4,800 claims weekly.
“Unusual seasonal patterns this past winter into spring make these numbers difficult to interpret,” stated Andy Condon, director of DOL’s office of research. “We still appear to be on a path of positive, albeit modest job growth.”
By contrast, New York City added nearly 28,000 jobs in April, according to data published Thursday by the New York State Department of Labor, with the lower Hudson River valley and Long Island also making gains.
Separately, the Conference Board reported Thursday its leading index on the U.S. economy declined 0.1 percent in April, following a 0.3 percent increase in March and a 0.7 percent increase in February. The New York City-based Conference Board attributed the decline to falling housing permits, rising initial claims for unemployment insurance, and subdued consumer expectations.
