Monthly Unemployment Drops in 9 States; Michigan Makes Headway

Unemployment decreased in nine U.S. states in January, led by an improvement in Michigan that demonstrates factories are driving the economic rebound.

Michigan’s jobless rate fell to 14.3 percent, still the highest in the nation, from 14.5 percent in December, according to figures issued today by the Labor Department in Washington. New York and New Jersey were among the eight states where unemployment decreased by a tenth of a point.