Jobless rates in Norfolk, Portsmouth and Suffolk fell slightly in October while rates for other major cities in the region were unchanged from September, the Virginia Employment Commission reported Wednesday. Hampton Roads' unemployment rate for October remained at 4.3 percent.
Scattered layoffs in the region were offset by job growth related to merchandise shipments and preparations for the holiday shopping season, said William Mezger, chief economist in the employment commission's economic information services division. An upturn in jobs tied to the resumption of classes at local colleges also played a part, he said.
This contrasted with the Bureau of Labor Statistics report Tuesday that employment nationwide fell by 240,000 in October while the country's seasonally adjusted jobless rate climbed to 6.5 percent from 6.1 percent in September.
Despite continued job growth in Hampton Roads, first-time claims for unemployment compensation rose at a faster-than-normal pace in October, Mezger said. The number of claims filed rose 20 percent to 4,923 from 4,099 in September.
"We seem to be getting more claims from small firms in retailing, including a small number of auto dealers, and in service industries," he said.
Tom Shean, (757) 446-2379, tom.shean@pilotonline.com
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