State unemployment rises to 4.5 percent

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Oklahoma’s unemployment rate is continuing to climb, reaching 4.5 percent last month with major losses in the retail-trade sector.

The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission reported Tuesday the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in June increased for the third straight month. It jumped two-tenths of 1 percent from 4.3 percent in May.

The commission reported Oklahoma shed a total of 2,100 jobs last month, with more than half of those in the retail-trade sector. Another 900 jobs were lost in the local, state and federal government.

Oklahoma actually saw an increase of about 100 jobs in the oil and gas sector and 1,000 new construction jobs.

Oklahoma’s unemployment rate was still well below the national average of 5.3 percent last month.