RALEIGH -  The state’s January unemployment rate increased to 9.5 percent from December’s annual revised rate of 9.4 percent. The national rate rose to 7.9 percent from December’s 7.8 percent. North Carolina’s January 2013 unemployment rate is 0.1 of a percentage point lower than a year ago. The number of people employed (smoothed seasonally adjusted) increased 2,888 to 4,323,089 over the month, and increased to 83,518 over the year. The number of people unemployed grew 6,243 to 453,276 over the month, and grew 2,634 over the year.
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Seasonally adjusted Total Nonfarm industry employment, as gathered through the monthly establishment survey, gained 15,100 to 4,047,400 in January. The major industry with the largest over-the-month increase was Leisure & Hospitality Services at 6,500 followed by Manufacturing, 5,400; Trade, Transportation and Utilities, 4,000; Construction, 1,600; Information, 1,100; Government, 900; and Financial Activities, 600. Major industries to experience decreases were Professional & Business Services, 2,600; Education and Health Services, 2,300; and Mining & Logging, 100.