by Nick Dobbins
May 2018
Minnesota employers lost 3,200 (0.1 percent) jobs in April on a seasonally adjusted basis. Private Service Providers drove the decline, off by 3,900 (0.2 percent), with notable losses in Leisure and Hospitality (down 3,600 or 1.3 percent) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (down 2,000 or 0.4 percent). It is likely that our uncommonly cold and snowy April had a hand in the seasonal job losses. On an over-the-year basis Minnesota employers added 11,659 jobs (0.4 percent). This is a marked decrease in over-the-year growth from March's 0.7 percent. Every month in 2017 showed over-the-year growth of 1 percent or more. Goods Producers added 2,981 jobs (0.7 percent) on the year, while Service Providers added 8,687 (0.4 percent).
Mining and Logging employment was flat in April, holding steady at 6,500 jobs. Annually the supersector lost 107 jobs (1.7 percent). It was the fourth consecutive month of over-the-year job losses in Mining and Logging.
Employment in Construction was off by 400 jobs (0.3 percent) in April, while March's estimate was revised down from a loss of 1,000 to a loss of 1,500. It is possible that the declines were caused in part by winter weather that continued further into spring than is usual. Annually the supersector lost 1,627 jobs (1.4 percent). Heavy and Civil Engineering construction saw the most notable declines, off by 1,963 jobs (13 percent), again likely from the inclement weather. Employment in the component sector grew by more than 40 percent in each of the previous three Aprils, while growing by just 23.1 percent in April 2018, accounting for the extreme drop in over-the-year growth this year. Similar if less extreme dynamics were present in other component sectors.
Employment in the Manufacturing supersector was up by 900 (0.3 percent) in April. Durable Goods Manufacturers added 800 jobs (0.4 percent), and Non-Durable Goods Manufacturers added 100 (0.1 percent). It was the fourth consecutive month of seasonally adjusted over-the-month growth in the supersector. Annually Manufacturers added 4,715 jobs (1.5 percent). Durable Goods Manufacturers added 2,787 jobs (1.4 percent), and Non-Durable Goods Manufacturers added 1,928 (1.7 percent), with 1,410 of those jobs coming in Food Manufacturing.
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employment was off by 2,000 (0.4 percent) in April. The lion's share of the decline came in the Retail Trade sector, which lost 1,800 jobs (0.6 percent). Wholesale Trade lost 300 jobs (0.2 percent) while Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities added 100 (0.1 percent). On an annual basis the supersector added 1,254 jobs (0.2 percent). This was down sharply from March's 1.4 percent over-the-year growth, as the employment spike the industry group generally sees in April had yet to materialize. Wholesale Trade added 1,395 jobs (1.1 percent) on the year, and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities added 1,498 (1.4 percent). On the other side of the ledger, Retail Trade employers lost 1,639 jobs (0.6 percent).
Employment in the Information supersector was flat in April, remaining at 49,500 jobs after March saw a 400-job increase. Annually the supersector lost 789 jobs (1.6 percent). It was the 10th consecutive month of over-the-year declines for the supersector.
Employment in the Financial Activities supersector was up by 1,200 (0.7 percent) in April. Finance and Insurance added 1,000 jobs (0.7 percent), and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing added 200 (0.6 percent). On the year the supersector added 873 jobs (0.5 percent). Real Estate and Rental and Leasing added 824 jobs (2.4 percent), a majority of the supersector's growth. Employment in Finance and Insurance was largely unmoved on the surface, up by 39 jobs (0 percent), although that belied significant turbulence among its component industries. For instance, Credit Intermediation and Related Activities including Monetary Authorities lost 1,242 jobs (1.9 percent).
Professional and Business Services employment was off by 700 (0.2 percent) in April. Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services was responsible for the entirety of the decline, shedding 2,000 jobs (1.5 percent). The other two component sectors grew on the month, with Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services adding 900 jobs (0.6 percent) and Management of Companies and Enterprises adding 400 (0.5 percent). Annually the supersector lost 1,352 jobs (0.4 percent). Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services lost 1,871 jobs (1.4 percent), accounting for most of the supersector's annual job loss.
Educational and Health Services employment was off by 200 (0 percent) in April. Health Care and Social Assistance added 600 jobs, but Educational Services lost 800 (1.2 percent). On the year the supersector added 6,097 jobs (1.1 percent). Educational Services employment grew by 1,306 (1.9 percent) while Health Care and Social Assistance grew by 4,791 (1 percent).
Leisure and Hospitality employment dropped precipitously in April as the supersector shed 3,600 jobs (1.3 percent). It was the largest decline, both in proportional and real job terms, in any supersector in the state. Component Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation shed 2,500 jobs (5.3 percent). Annually the supersector lost 3,314 jobs (1.3 percent). Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation lost 1,211 jobs (2.8 percent), while Accommodations and Food Services lost 2,103 (0.9 percent).
The Other Services supersector added 1,400 jobs (1.2 percent) in April on a seasonally adjusted basis. This increase balanced the March decrease of 1,100 (1.0 percent), suggesting a later-than-expected spring increase. Annually the supersector lost 388 jobs (0.3 percent). Repair and Maintenance lost 575 jobs (2.6 percent), while Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations added 208 (0.3 percent).
Government employment was mostly flat in April as the supersector added 200 jobs (0.0 percent). Federal employers added 100 jobs (0.3 percent), and State employers added 200 (0.2 percent), while Local Governments lost 100 jobs (0.0 percent). Annually Government employers added 6,297 jobs (1.5 percent). State Government Educational Services led the way, adding 3,161 jobs (5 percent). Federal employers lost 48 jobs (0.1 percent).
| Seasonally Adjusted Nonfarm Employment (in thousands) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Apr-18 | Mar-18 | Feb-18 |
| Total Nonfarm | 2,945.6 | 2,948.8 | 2,948.4 |
| Goods Producing | 448.8 | 448.3 | 448.3 |
| Mining and Logging | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.6 |
| Construction | 119.9 | 120.3 | 121.8 |
| Manufacturing | 322.4 | 321.5 | 319.9 |
| Service-Providing | 2,496.8 | 2,500.5 | 2,500.1 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 542.1 | 544.1 | 542.6 |
| Information | 49.5 | 49.5 | 49.1 |
| Financial Activities | 180.3 | 179.1 | 178.5 |
| Professional and Business Services | 372.5 | 373.2 | 373.0 |
| Education and Health Services | 538.2 | 538.4 | 538.6 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 270.0 | 273.6 | 274.3 |
| Other Services | 115.8 | 114.4 | 115.5 |
| Government | 428.4 | 428.2 | 428.5 |
| Source: Department of Employment and Economic Development, Current Employment Statistics, 2018. | |||
