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Minnesota unemployment rate dips again to 5.9 percent

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Dec 16, 2011 at 9:02 am

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota's unemployment rate has taken another big drop, falling to 5.9 percent for November.

The state Department of Employment and Economic Development said Thursday that the Minnesota's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate last month was a half-point lower than in October. The rate dropped even though employers cut 13,700 jobs.

Department commissioner Mark Phillips says the mixed results make it hard to draw conclusions about how well the labor market is performing.

Minnesota's state unemployment rate compares favorably to the U.S. unemployment rate of 8.6 percent for November.

The biggest sectors for lost jobs in Minnesota were leisure and hospitality, government and construction. Job gains were seen in education and health services, professional and business services and leisure and hospitality sectors.