by Nick Dobbins
April 2018
Monthly analysis is based on seasonally adjusted employment data. Yearly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.*
Minnesota added 2,900 jobs (0.1 percent) in March on a seasonally adjusted basis. All of that gain came from the private sector as public sector employment was off by 100 jobs (0.3 percent). Both Goods Producers and Service Providers grew by 0.1 percent, adding 400 and 2,500 jobs, respectively. February's Total Nonfarm estimate was also revised upward, from a loss of 1,300 to a loss of 200. Annually the state added 21,250 jobs (0.7 percent). Service providers added 18,147 jobs (0.7 percent), and goods producers added 3,103 (0.7 percent). Public sector employers added 7,086 jobs (1.7 percent), and the private sector added 14,164 (0.6 percent).
Mining and Logging employment was down by 100 (1.5 percent) in March, returning to a seasonally-adjusted 6,500 jobs. The supersector lost 58 jobs (0.9 percent) over the year. Mining and Logging has shown over-the-year declines in every month of 2018 so far after posting over-the-year job growth in every month of 2017.
Employment in Construction was off by 1000 (0.8 percent) in March on a seasonally adjusted basis. February's estimate was also revised downward from a gain of 300 to a loss of 900. It's possible that these two months of seasonal employment declines are related to the unseasonable winter weather we saw early in the year. Annually Construction employers added 151 jobs (0.1 percent). Specialty Trade Contractors led the growth, adding 982 jobs (1.4 percent), while the other two component sectors, Construction of Buildings and Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction, both shed jobs.
Employment in the Manufacturing supersector was up by 1,500 (0.5 percent) in March. Durable Goods Manufacturing added 1,100 jobs (0.5 percent,) and Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing added 400 (0.3 percent). The supersector has added the jobs on an over-the-month basis every month in 2018. Annually Manufacturers added 3,101 jobs (1 percent). Durable Goods Manufacturers added 1,298 jobs (0.7 percent), and Non-Durable Goods Manufacturers added 1,712 (1.5 percent).
Employment in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was up by 1,900 (0.4 percent) in March with growth in all three component sectors. Wholesale Trade added 100 jobs (0.1 percent), Retail Trade added 900 (0.3 percent), and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities added 900 (0.8 percent). Over the year the supersector added 7,389 jobs (1.4 percent). It was the first time since June of 2017 that over-the-year growth in the supersector got above 1 percent. Wholesale Trade added 2,643 jobs (2 percent), Retail Trade added 2,495 (0.9 percent), and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities added 2,251 (2.1 percent).
The Information supersector added 700 jobs (1.4 percent) in March, recovering from February's loss of 200 jobs. Annually the supersector's employment was off by 538 (1.1 percent), the second-most precipitous drop of any supersector in the state. Both published component sectors had declines of greater than 2 percent. It was the ninth consecutive month of over-the-year declines for the supersector.
Employment in the Financial Activities supersector was up slightly in March, adding 100 jobs (0.1 percent) from a gain of 300 (0.9 percent) in Real Estate and Rental and Leasing. The other component sector, Finance and Insurance, lost 200 jobs (0.1 percent). Over the year the supersector lost 1,141 jobs (0.6 percent), the third consecutive month of declines. All of the losses came in Finance and Insurance, which was down by 1,223 (0.8 percent) thanks to a loss of 1,080 (12.7 percent) in Nondepository Credit Intermediation. The other component sector, Real Estate and Rental and Leasing, added 82 jobs (0.2 percent).
Professional and Business Services employment was up slightly in March, adding 200 jobs (0.1 percent). Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services led the way, adding 900 jobs (0.7 percent). This was largely counterbalanced by a loss of 800 (0.5 percent) in Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services. Annually the supersector lost 1,414 jobs (0.4 percent). The Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services component sector lost 1,109 jobs (0.7 percent), and Management of Companies and Enterprises lost 705 (0.9 percent). Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services added 400 jobs (0.3 percent) despite the sharp over-the-year decline in component Employment Services (off 1,551 or 2.8 percent).
Educational and Health Services employment added 800 jobs (0.1 percent) in March, following two consecutive months of over-the-month declines. Educational Services added 300 jobs (0.4 percent) while Health Care and Social Assistance added 500 (0.1 percent). On the year the supersector added 8,939 jobs (1.7 percent). Educational Services added 2,881 jobs (4.2 percent), and Health Care and Social Assistance added 6,058 (1.3 percent).
Leisure and Hospitality employment was mostly flat in March, off by 100 jobs (0.0 percent). Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation lost 800 jobs (1.6 percent), while Accommodation and Food Services added 700 (0.3 percent). Annually the supersector lost 786 jobs (0.3 percent). Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation added 1,883 jobs (4.8 percent). Accommodation and Food Services lost 2,669 (1.2 percent), with all of those losses coming from the larger Food Services side of the sector which shed 2,812 jobs (1.5 percent).
The Other Services supersector lost 1,000 jobs (0.9 percent) in March. It was the largest proportional over-the-month decline in the state for any supersector save Mining and Logging. Annually Other Services employers lost 1,388 jobs (1.2 percent), the single largest over-the-year decline in the state. Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations led the decline, off by 1,183 jobs (1.8 percent), although all three component sectors shed employment on the year.
Government employment was mostly flat in March, off by 100 jobs (0.0 percent). The entirety of the small decline came from Federal employers, as State and Local Government employment both remained steady. Annually Government employment was up by 7,086 (1.7 percent). State Government added 3,402 jobs (3.3 percent), and Local employers added 3,811 (1.3 percent).
| Seasonally Adjusted Nonfarm Employment (in thousands) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | March 2018 | February 2018 | Janary 2018 |
| Total Nonfarm | 2,951.3 | 2,948.4 | 2,948.6 |
| Goods-Producing | 448.7 | 448.3 | 447.5 |
| Mining, Logging, and Construction | 127.3 | 128.4 | 129.2 |
| Construction | 120.8 | 121.8 | 122.7 |
| Manufacturing | 321.4 | 319.9 | 318.3 |
| Service-Providing | 2,502.6 | 2,500.1 | 2,501.1 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 544.5 | 542.6 | 541.0 |
| Information | 49.8 | 49.1 | 49.3 |
| Financial Activities | 178.6 | 178.5 | 178.6 |
| Professional and Business Services | 373.2 | 373.0 | 377.0 |
| Educational and Health Services | 539.4 | 538.6 | 539.0 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 274.2 | 274.3 | 271.0 |
| Other Services | 114.5 | 115.5 | 115.5 |
| Government | 428.4 | 428.5 | 429.7 |
| Source: Department of Employment and Economic Development, Current Employment Statistics., 2018. | |||
Over-the-year data are not seasonally adjusted because of small changes in seasonal adjustment factors from year to year. Also, there is no seasonality in over-the-year changes.
