Utah's unemployment rate rises to 6.5 percent

 (Salt Lake Tribune) Another 4,500 Utahns lost jobs last month, increasing the state's unemployment rate to 6.5 percent in October.

While that is as high as the rate has been since April of 1987, the Utah Department of Workforce Services' chief economist said Thursday there is some underlying hope within the latest monthly jobless numbers.

"The economy is much better now than four to six months ago," said Mark Knold. "We feel it has stabilized, found a bottom."

Still, the number of out-of-work Utahns climbed in October to roughly 88,900, an 84 percent increase in the 13 months since the financial system's collapse compelled many employers to cut costs by laying off workers.

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