By AP/St. Louis Public Radio
Jefferson City, Mo. – Missouri's unemployment rate fell slightly in January, but the state also shed nearly 13,000 jobs.
The losses were offset by gains in manufacturing, retail trade, management and government.
The state Department of Economic Development reports that the jobless rate dipped one-tenth of a percentage point to 9.5 percent. The national average for January was 9.7 percent.
In its report Tuesday, the agency pinned some January job losses on cold weather.
Missouri's construction sector shed 7,700 jobs, while roughly 3,400 were lost in administrative and support services. Leisure and hospitality lost 3,100 jobs.