State loses jobs in December, unemployment rate steady

New York’s unemployment rate stayed steady in December, but the state lost 16,800 jobs from the previous month.

The unemployment rate was 8 percent in December, unchanged from November and down from 8.2 percent a year ago. The number of unemployed New Yorkers increased from 759,500 in November to 768,200 in December.

“The New York state economy has added 90,100 private-sector jobs over the past year while our state’s unemployment rate remained below the nation’s rate in December 2011,” Bohdan M. Wynnyk, deputy director of the Division of Research and Statistics, said.

The Binghamton region lost 400 non-farm jobs over the past year, but gained 100 private-sector jobs. The Syracuse area gained 2,600 non-farm jobs and 900 private-sector jobs.

The Utica-Rome area, one of the state’s top job gainers in the past year, added 1,200 non-farm jobs and 1,900 private-sector jobs.

Across the state, the professional and business-services category added the most jobs, gaining 37,600 jobs. The manufacturing sector showed the most losses, losing 4,700 jobs.

The nation’s unemployment rate was 8.5 percent in December, down from 8.7 percent in November and 9.4 percent a year ago.

Contact DeLore at tgregory@tmvbj.com