Area unemployment rate rises to 10.4 percent

  The number of people filing unemployment claims increased nearly half-a-percent from January to February.  The Illinois Department of Employment Security reports the unemployment rate at 10.4 percent in the Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area.  

That’s up from 9 percent unemployment the same time last year.  400 fewer jobs were added last month compared to February last year.  That’s mainly due to a temporary layoff in area manufacturing jobs.  However job gains were reported in Educational-health services and trade.