State by state recession looks different

DALLAS, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. recession appears spread across numerous job sectors, but is uneven geographically, statistics show.

Jobs have been lost in construction, finance, manufacturing and retail, cutting a wider swath through the job market than most recessions, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

But the recession looks different in California, Texas, and Michigan.

The bursting housing bubble wiped out construction jobs in California as early as 2006, pushing the state's unemployment rate to 8.4 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.

In Michigan, an erosion of manufacturing jobs has pushed that state's unemployment rate to 9.6 percent.

Texas, however, may see job growth of 1.5 percent this year, said Keith Phillips at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

The Lone Star state's fortunes can be attributed to it coming through the housing bubble relatively unscathed -- having experienced less growth than other states before the market crashed.

In addition, agriculture and energy jobs have held steadier than other sectors.

Wachovia analyst John Silvia said energy jobs work in a slower cycle than other sectors. "Given that it takes so long to produce energy, especially oil, you're not going to lay off workers for a short-term weakness in the economy," he said.