Significant Drop in Tenn. Unemployment

NASHVILLE,‭ ‬Tenn.‭ (‬AP‭) — Tennessee's unemployment rate fell four-tenth to‭ ‬8.7‭ percent in December,‭ ‬the lowest rate in three years.

State officials say that just over‭ ‬11,000‭ ‬people gained employment last month over November when the rate was‭ ‬9.1‭ ‬percent.

From November to December,‭ the professional and business services sector added jobs, as did durable goods manufacturing,‭ ‬and the clothing and accessories sectors.

The sectors that lost jobs include leisure and hospitality,‭ ‬state government educational services,‭ ‬and mining,‭ ‬logging and construction.

It's the lowest rate since December‭ ‬2008‭ ‬when the figure was‭ ‬8.4‭ ‬percent.

The national unemployment figure for last month was‭ ‬8.5‭ ‬percent.