NC's unemployment rate reaches 6.6 percent

RALEIGH -- North Carolina's unemployment rate jumped sharply last month, to its highest level in nearly five years. The Employment Security Commission said Friday the rate increased from 5.9 percent in June to 6.6 percent in July. That's the highest jobless rate since August 2003. July is the seventh consecutive month with an increase in unemployment. North Carolina's overall employment increased by more than 12,800 workers to roughly 4.3 million. In the past year the number of people without jobs has increased by 92,358 people. (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)