South Carolina unemployment again holds at 6.6 percent

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina’s unemployment rate is still holding steady at 6.6. percent.

The Department of Employment and Workforce said Friday that the state’s jobless rate was again unchanged in February. It was the third month in a row that state unemployment remained at that level.

National unemployment was 5.5 percent in February, a slight decrease from January.

State officials say South Carolina’s labor force went up nearly 12,000 last month to more than 2.2 million. The estimated number of unemployed people was around 148,000, an increase of nearly 1,500 from January.

The leisure and hospitality sector showed the biggest gains last month, with an increase of 4,000 jobs. Constructions jobs were also up by 2,500.

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