Report: Riverside County’s jobless rate rises

Despite gains in some sectors of the regional economy, Riverside County's unemployment rate rose back above 5% last month, according to figures released today by the California Employment Development Department.

The countywide jobless rate in June, based on preliminary EDD estimates, was 5.4%, compared to 4.4% in May.

According to data, the June rate was slightly above the year-ago level, when countywide unemployment stood at exactly 5%.

The combined unemployment rate for Riverside and San Bernardino counties -- the Inland Empire -- in June was 5.3%, up from 4.3% in May, the EDD said.

Bi-county data indicated that payrolls expanded by the widest margin in trade, transportation and utilities, which added an estimated 3,100 jobs last month, many of them in warehousing.

Additional gains were recorded in the agricultural, construction, financial services, health services, hospitality, information technology and manufacturing sectors, which altogether grew by 5,000 jobs, according to the EDD.

Miscellaneous unclassified industries added about 200 positions.

The public and professional business services sectors contracted, losing 1,300 jobs, data showed.

The mining sector was unchanged.

The statewide non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in June was 5.3%.

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