State reports drop in unemployment

Pinellas County's unemployment rate for April is down nearly a full percentage point, according to the latest figures from the Florida Agency of Workforce Innovation.

April's rate was 11.5 percent, compared to March when 12.4 percent of the county's labor force was looking for a job.

In April, 51,629 of the county's labor force of 447,989 were looking for a job. In March, 55,693 out of a labor force of 450,195 were unemployed.

While, the numbers appear to be moving in the right direction, unemployment in Pinellas remains high compared to April 2009 when the unemployment rate was 9.8 percent, and only 43,765 of 446,068 were unemployed.

Floridians' consumer confidence index also is showing gains with a six-point increase from March to April, according to the University of Florida's Bureau of Economic and Business Research.

"The largest increase (in consumer confidence) was in Floridians perceptions of whether it is a good time to purchase big-ticket consumer items ...," the report said. "Consumers have a positive outlook on the short- and long-term economic conditions as well."

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State reports drop in unemployment - Tampa Bay Newspapers - May 25, 2010