New Mexico's jobless rate fell to 6 percent last month

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico's unemployment rate fell to 6 percent in December, down from two consecutive months of 6.1 percent. The state jobless rate was at 6.7 percent in December 2016. It's still higher than the national unemployment of 4.1 percent. But labor officials say New Mexico for the 13th consecutive month recorded aggregate gains in the private sector that resulted in 10,800 jobs, or 1.3 percent growth. The latest figures released by the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions show private service industries reported an additional 9,300 jobs while goods-producing industries grew by 2,200 jobs. Construction and the leisure and hospitality industries both were up by 3,100 jobs. The mining industry saw 700 jobs lost since December 2016. Local, state and federal government jobs also have dropped over the past year.