Arizona’s unemployment rate is down slightly with the addition of new jobs throughout most of the economy.
The Department of Administration reports that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March dropped to 8.6 percent, after remaining steady at 8.7 percent for the past two months.
Arizona’s economy added 18,900 non-farm jobs in March, with 97 percent of them coming from the private sector.
The department notes the job increases were the largest gain for the month of March since 2006.
Seven of the 11 major economic sectors posted above average gains in March. Leisure and hospitality was the sector with the biggest gain, an increase of 7,700 jobs.
Construction added 3,800 jobs. Trade, transportation and utilities posted the next biggest gain with 1,700 jobs.
