Texas Labor Market Review, February 1998 Page: FRONT COVER
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C O MM I S S I O N
Statewide Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rate Drops, Matching U.S. Rate
Continuing its strong showing over the last several months, the Texas seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined
an unexpected three-tenths of a percentage point to 4.6 percent in February, matching the U.S. unemployment rate and
marking the first time since June 1992 that the Texas rate did not exceed that of the U.S. Texas has not seen a rate this
low since January 1980, nor a rate lower since December 1979.
Large Monthly Gain Seen in Seasonally Adjusted Total Nonagricultural Employment
Total Nonagricultural Wage & Salary employment in the Lone Star State celebrated its largest monthly gain since
October 1996, adding 45,800 jobs in February. The Service Producing Sector was responsible for 79 percent of the
increase, generating 36,400 jobs over the month, with the Goods Producing Sector providing the balance of 9,400 jobs.
Mining employment advanced by 1,300 jobs in February, its largest monthly gain since July 1997. In the last 21months, Mining has retreated only twice, in October
surprising in view of the steady drop in crude oil
prices in recent months.
In its best over-the-month showing this
decade, Construction employment grew by 7,700
jobs in February, continuing a four-month streak
of employment gains.
Transportation, Communications, & Public
Utilities (TCPU) experienced its sixth
consecutive month of employment growth,
landing 2,900 more jobs in February. Year-to-
date gains for the industry were the highest of
the 1990s, producing 4,700 jobs in the last two
months alone. Not to be outdone, over-the year
growth marked its 59*h month of positive
movement for an annual growth rate of 5.5and December 1997. Continued Mining gains are particularly
Top Ten Largest Monthly Gains in Statewide Construction
Employment During the 1990s8,000
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
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percent, nearly double the 2.8 percent average for the past seven years.
Rebounding from a January setback, Services surged ahead by 26,800 jobs in February. This jump was
responsible for 59 percent of the state's total over-the-month employment growth. Services managed to recover all of
the ground lost in January's tumble, its first since July 1995, and to surpass December 1997's peak by 18,600 jobs.
Nonseasonally Adjusted Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) Employment
With the exception of the Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito and Laredo MSAs, Total Nonagricultural
employment increased in every MSA this month. Services, led by Personnel Supply and Educational Services, was the
largest contributor, producing over half of the total growth. State and Local Government, bolstered by seasonal gains
n Education, accounted for almost one third of the overall increase.
In many areas of the state, unseasonably warm weather heightened construction activity generating 4,500
additional jobs in the MSAs. The Austin-San Marcos MSA experienced strong growth in Construction for the first two
months of the year with all components of construction and construction-related industries gaining employment.
Construction also strengthened in the Dallas and Fort Worth-Arlington MSAs. According to the Society of Industrial
and Office Realtors, Dallas is first in the nation in new office and industrial space.Acuuai gerIes
4.8%aeasunanly AujuSIuU
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8,801,2001998 8,751,000
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Texas Workforce Commission. Labor Market Information. Texas Labor Market Review, February 1998, periodical, February 1998; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1623871/m1/1/?rotate=0: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.