Hawaii unemployment
rate improved in April

By Russ Lynch
Star-Bulletin

The statewide unemployment rate declined to 5.3 percent in April, down more than a percentage point from the 6.6 percent for April 1997 and a slight improvement from the 5.5 percent reported for March.

However, the rate was still higher than the national average of 4.1 percent for April, according to the state Department of Labor & Industrial Relations.

The improvement came despite a loss of 2,100 jobs from the previous month, to a total of 530,200 nonagricultural jobs.

The retail trade in April lost 1,000 jobs at restaurants, general merchandise stores and apparel shops. Retailing has been weak for four months, the department said.

On the plus side, business services were up by 300 jobs compared with the previous month. Most of the gains were at small firms.

Oahu's jobless rate of 4.5 percent was down from 5.4 percent in the year-earlier month and 4.6 percent in March.

The Big Island rate improved to 8.1 percent from 10.3 percent in April 1997 and 8.3 percent in March.

Kauai was at 8.8 percent, compared with 11.8 percent a year earlier and 11 percent in the previous month.

Maui's rate of 5.9 percent was an improvement from 8.3 percent in the year-earlier month and 8.1 percent in March.

Molokai was at 12 percent compared with 13.1 percent in April 1997 and 11.7 percent in March. Lanai reported 3.1 percent unemployment, compared with 5.8 percent in the previous April and 2.4 percent in March.