Texas added 37,900 jobs in July, with "signiificant job growth" in professional and business services, the Texas Workforce Commission said this morning.
"The number of employed Texans remained relatively steady in July," the commission said.
But because more people entered the workforce, the jobless rate rose to 7.9 percent, up from 7.5 percent in June. The state's workforce rose to more than 12 million people for the first time in July, the commission said.
The Fort Worth-Arlington jobless rate was 8.4 percent, up from 8.3 percent in June.
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The U.S. seasonally adjusted jobless rate for July was 9.4 percent.
"The national economic recession continued to have an adverse impact on the Texas economy," Tom Pauken, the Texas Workforce Commission chairman, said. "Nonetheless, the Texas unemployment rate remained well below the national rate, and there were signs of positive growth in certain industries."
Texas employers "recorded broad-based job gains in seven of 11 industries in July, regaining some of the lost ground from earlier in the year," the commission said.
Professional and business services added 18,700 jobs. Education and health services added 14,900. Construction added 3,000 jobs "after several months of job losses. Hospitality and leisure added 2,800, and financial activities, 1,800.