Indiana job losses ranked high in July 2008

By Norm Heikens, The IBJ

nheikens@ibj.com

Only Florida and Georgia lost more jobs than Indiana last month, the U.S. Department of Labor said today. Indiana saw a decline of 16,500 positions, with Florida losing 21,400 and Georgia, 18,900.

The 0.6-percent loss for Indiana was 2nd worst; Alaska lost a slightly greater proportion of its jobs.

Also in July, Indiana's unemployment rate shot up to 6.3 percent from 4.4 percent a year earlier.

Indiana has been suffering from June floods and a contraction in manufacturing of recreational vehicles and cars.

The July figures are preliminary and subject to change.