State unemployment rises in September

ATLANTA - Georgia&#39;s unemployment rate was 4.8 percent in September, up from 4.9 percent in August, the state Labor Department said Thursday. <br> <br> In September 2001, just before the economic impact of the terrorist attacks, the state&#39;s jobless rate was 4.2 percent. <br> <br> State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond said Georgia added 6,600 new jobs in September, mainly in manufacturing, personnel supply and wholesale trade. <br> <br> ``Job increases in these sectors are a welcomed sign. They typically indicate growing demand,&#39;&#39; Thurmond said. <br> <br> Despite the job growth, the unemployment rate rose because nearly 20,000 people started looking for work in anticipation of the holiday shopping season. <br> <br> The department did not release September unemployment rates for Georgia&#39;s metropolitan areas Thursday. Those figures will be released next week.