SC unemployment drops to 7.1 percent in November

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina’s unemployment rate dropped yet again last month, falling to 7.1 percent in November.

The number released Friday by the Department of Employment and Workforce was the lowest South Carolina’s jobless rate has been since August 2008, when it was also 7.1 percent.

The state said November’s rate was the closest South Carolina unemployment had been to the national rate since 2002. Last month, unemployment across the country was estimated at 7.0 percent.

State officials said the number of unemployed people in South Carolina went down by more than 10,000 over the last month, while the number of employed people increased by more than 6,000.

The biggest job gains came in government, hospitality and educational and health services, which posted a combined growth of 4,200 positions.

___

Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP