Massachusetts unemployment rate dips to 9.2 percent

BOSTON (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - Massachusetts added more than 19,000 jobs last month, helping the state's unemployment rate drop to 9.2 percent from 9.3 percent the previous month, and indicating an economic recovery.

Financial analyst Jim Lowell spoke to FOX25's Mark Ockerbloom about the economy at large, and how the crisis in Europe is affecting the American economy.

The state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced Thursday that April's job gains were the largest monthly increase in 17 years. The national unemployment rate for April was 9.9 percent.

The jobs surge was spurred by the professional, scientific and business services sectors as well as construction. The professional sector added 7,200 jobs, while construction — hit hard by the recession — added nearly 4,000 jobs.

Education and health services also showed strong gains.

Governor Deval Patrick says the numbers show the state is "on the mend and on the move."