October signals direction for jobless

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina's unemployment figures for October could show whether a predicted late-year jobs crunch is hitting the state economy.

The state's Employment Security Commission on Friday releases the latest data, which will show whether the jobless rate that has hovered around 11 percent for eight months has gotten better or worse.

Many economists have warned that despite signs that companies see recovery on the horizon, unemployment is likely to worsen before turning around next year.

North Carolina has lost about 250,000 jobs since the recession started in December 2007.

The state's unemployment rate has been around 11 percent since February and has been worse than the national average for more than a year.