Business Report
The Baton Rouge area added about 2,300 jobs from January to February, including 1,600 new construction jobs, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber reports.
Construction added about 3,900 jobs year over year, which represents 8.4% growth. Meanwhile, the size of the Capital Region’s labor force reached a new record, increasing by 10,700 people (or 2.5%) over two months, BRAC says.
More takeaways from BRAC’s monthly economic indicator report:
- Other sectors showing year-over-year growth include manufacturing (1,900 new jobs), education and health care (1,700) and leisure and hospitality (1,600).
- The professional and business services sector added jobs (plus 400) for the first time in four months.
- Sectors that lost jobs year over year include trade, transportation and utilities (down 1,000 jobs) and government (down 500).
- The region’s unemployment rate fell to 3.1% in February.
- Job postings were stagnant in February after falling for two months.
- Health care led the region in total wage growth since 2020, while the professional and scientific services sector added 578 business establishments.
Read more here.