JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri's unemployment rate fell to 8 percent, but the state's overall payroll still declined by several thousand jobs.
The state Department of Economic Development reported Tuesday that Missouri's net nonfarm payroll declined by 11,800 jobs in December. Officials say that includes seasonal job losses in private educational services because of holiday and semester breaks at colleges and universities.
Missouri's unemployment rate in December declined two-tenths of a point to 8 percent, the lowest rate since January 2009.