Iowa unemployment rate falls to 3.6 percent in October | State and regional news

• Private companies in total gained 11,800 jobs in October, while the government cut 1,200 jobs.

• Construction added the most jobs in October with an increase of 4,700, an unexpected jump and the first increase since May.

• Retail trade increased by 1,600 with much of the hiring coming from general merchandise stores, according to the IWD.

• Transportation, warehousing and utilities also added 900 jobs in October, allowing the commerce and transportation super sector to add 3,000 jobs compared to September, officials said.

• Administrative support and waste management posted a big gain compared to 2,400 last month and has averaged 1,200 monthly job gains since April.

• Manufacturing of nondurable goods increased 1,600 in October with strong hiring in food manufacturing to mark another month of consecutive growth since April.

• Private sector job losses were rare and included a 1,300 drop in food and lodging services, marking the first monthly job loss for that sector in the past six months, according to the IWD .

• Durable goods factories cut 800 jobs after increasing 1,200 jobs in September.

Since April, IWD officials reported that Iowa businesses have added 117,300 jobs to their payrolls.