Overall Unemployment: 5.1% (5.1%)
African America Unemployment: 9.2% (9.5%)
Latino America Unemployment: 6.4% (6.6%)
European America Unemployment: 4.4% (4.4%)
Asian America Unemployment: 3.6% (3.5%)
Previous month in parentheses.
Analysis: Overall unemployment went unchanged in the month of September from the previous month. African America experienced the largest decrease with a 30 basis point decline, followed by Latino America with a 20 basis point decline. European America went unchanged for the second month in a row. Asian America experienced a slight uptick of 10 basis points.
African American Male Unemployment: 8.9% (9.2%)
African American Female Unemployment: 8.0% (8.1%)
African American Teenage Unemployment: 31.5% (31.3%)
African American Male Participation: 66.9% (67.1%)
African American Female Participation: 62.1% (62.5%)
African American Teenage Participation: 28.7% (27.8%)
Previous month in parentheses.
Analysis: African American males had a 30 basis point drop in their unemployment rate and 20 basis point decline in the participation rate. African American females had 10 basis point drop in their unemployment rate and 40 basis point decline in their participation rate. African American teenagers unemployment rate increased by 20 basis points and participation rate increased by 90 basis points.
CONCLUSION: The overall economy added 142 000 jobs in September. African America added 4 000 jobs in September. African America continues to have a mixed bag of data. Number of employed are at a five month high, participation rate is at a five month low, and number of employed at a five month high. African American males have especially seen a hit of 160 basis point drop over the past five months in their participation rate. With a number of the country’s bellwether companies laying off workers ahead of a potential interest rate hike, this could see an acceleration in the unemployment increase in African America. African America currently needs 802 000 jobs to match the country’s unemployment rate.
HBCU Money 