RI unemployment rate drops again

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Unemployment in Rhode Island fell for a second straight month, dipping to 12.7 percent in November, state officials said Friday.

The seasonally adjusted jobless rate fell two-tenths of a percentage point from October's level of 12.9 percent, making November the second straight month the unemployment rate has declined after climbing for nearly three years. Still, Rhode Island's unemployment surpassed the national rate of 10 percent.

Economists have said Rhode Island's economy has recently shown signs of stabilizing, but it does not appear a robust recovery has started.

The state lost 1,300 jobs from October to November, officials said. At the same time, the number of Rhode Islanders who reported they were employed rose by 2,100.

The Department of Labor and Training believes some unemployed workers are dropping out of the work force, while others have found employment in neighboring Massachusetts and Connecticut where the economy is more robust, DLT spokeswoman Laura Hart said.