Indiana unemployment rate rises slightly to 5.8 percent

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - State officials say Indiana's unemployment rate rose a slight 0.1 percent in December to 5.8 percent.

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development released the December numbers on Tuesday. State officials say December was the first month in a year that Indiana's unemployment rate exceeded the U.S. rate of 5.6 percent.

State numbers show Indiana gained 4,000 private sector jobs in December and ended 2014 with a total of 51,500 added jobs. State officials say more than 9,000 jobseekers returned to the Indiana labor force during December and 83,000 have returned to the labor force since December 2013.

Workforce Commissioner Steven J. Braun says the state's unemployment is higher than others in the Midwest because Indiana residents are "confident the state's economy is improving and are returning to work."