Minnesota’s unemployment rate dropped to nearly a 19-year low of 2.9 percent in August — versus the national jobless rate of just under four percent.  Employers shed 200 jobs last month, but state analyst Steve Hine says over-the-year job growth in Minnesota

Construction has seen the greatest job growth in Minnesota over the past year at nearly three times the average for all sectors.  Job growth in leisure and hospitality is also very strong, which Hine argues is a good indication of the “robustness” of Minnesota’s economy.  Job growth in logging and mining remains sluggish, and the “financial activities” sector actually lost jobs over the past year.