The Hoosier unemployment rate ticked up by one-tenth of a percent to 4.1 percent last month. That’s the first increase since January of last year. The rate is still lower than the national average and all neighboring states.

After two consecutive months of declines, the private sector added jobs in February – 4,400 for the month. The surge was led by the manufacturing industry.

And after four months of a decreasing overall labor force, February saw a second consecutive month on the rise. The labor force measures people who either have a job or are actively looking for one. Growth in the labor force is typically viewed as a sign of optimism in the economy.