Washington unemployment rate for December was 4.3 %

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Washington state’s December unemployment rate dipped to 4.3 %.

According to numbers released Wednesday by the Employment Security Department, December’s rate was down from November’s rate of 4.4 %. The state also saw a gain of 10,900 jobs during the month. The largest private job growth occurred retail trade and professional and business services, while the biggest losses were seen in wholesale trade and financial activities.

Job gains and losses are estimates based on a survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate counts the percentage of people who are unemployed and actively looking for work, and doesn’t include those who have stopped looking for work. The national unemployment rate for December was 3.5 %, and the rate in the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett region was 2.7 %.