Connecticut”™s unemployment rate spiked to 8.5 percent in July, which the Connecticut Department of Labor said could be a statistical anomaly given an accompanying increase in jobs.
The unemployment rate climbed from 8.1 percent in June, despite the state adding an estimated 5,100 jobs during that period. The higher rate could be the result of more people actively seeking work or other market factors.
The Fairfield County area added an estimated 1,600 jobs in July.
“The complete disagreement between our two key indicators of labor market health in Connecticut makes an assessment of market conditions difficult at best this month,” said Andy Condon, DOL research director, in a prepared statement. “We will have to wait until more data comes in to see if July”™s results were a statistical anomaly or an early indicator of a turning point in the economy, as yet uncorroborated by other data.”
Statewide, the arts and leisure sector had the best performance from both this past June and July 1011, with increases of 4.9 percent and 5.8 percent respectively. Construction continues to feel the after-effects of the recession, with employment off an estimated 3 percent from June and 5.8 percent from July 2011.
