Illinois Unemployment Drops

Illinois’ job market showed a modest improvement last month, even as overall payrolls slipped. The state Department of Employment Security reports the unemployment rate fell two-tenths of a percentage point to four-point-seven percent. That means fewer Illinois residents were counted as jobless in August. However, employers also cut total nonfarm payrolls by about 44-hundred positions during the month, showing a mixed economic picture. State labor officials continue to track hiring trends across major industries, as workers and businesses watch for signs of stronger momentum heading into the fall.