The Retail Trade industry has long been a cornerstone of economic activity in Central Minnesota, serving as both a reflection of local consumer trends and a significant source of employment for the region.
The unemployment rate ticked up to 3.2% in Minnesota in October from 3.1% in September on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Minnesota's official unemployment rate is a useful indicator of the health of the state's economy, but it does not tell the whole story.
An analysis of the current month’s employment picture broken out by Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The Job Openings and Labor Turnover (JOLTS) Survey conducted by the BLS shows that the number of job openings increased by 3,000 or 1.5% in Minnesota to 206,000 in September on a seasonally adjusted basis.
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was unchanged in October on a seasonally adjusted basis, after increasing 0.4 percent in September.