NASHVILLE (AP) – Tennessee Labor Commissioner Karla Davis says the state's unemployment rate for January was 9.5 percent, up 0.1 percent from the previous month.

Despite the increase, Davis said in a news release Thursday that the state's rate has remained stable since last July and that it's "much improved from last January's 10.4 percent."

The national unemployment rate for January was 9 percent, 0.4 percent lower than the December rate.

State officials said there were job gains in transportation, machinery manufacturing, wholesale electronic markets and primary metal manufacturing. There were job losses in professional and businesses services; leisure and hospitality; and trade, transportation and utilities.

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