Ohio unemployment rate holds steady at 5 percent for January

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - State officials say Ohio’s unemployment rate was 5 percent in January, matching the rate from December and from January 2016.

It was slightly higher than the national unemployment rate of 4.8 percent.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported Friday that the state’s nonagricultural wage and salary employment decreased by 2,100 in January from the previous month.

The sectors that saw job gains included construction, financial activities, manufacturing and local government. Job losses were reported in educational and health services, leisure and hospitality and information services.