Texas unemployment rate sits at historic low, but energy sector shedding jobs

According to the Texas Workforce Commission, the Texas economy continued to add jobs in September and the unemployment rate was still low, but the slowdown in the energy sector led to fewer jobs in oil and gas-related industries across the state.

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The Texas economy added 7,600 non-farming jobs that were seasonally adjusted last month, and the unemployment rate was at an all-time low of 3.4{7be40b84a6a43fc4fae13304fce9a2695859798abfc41afd127b9f8b21c5f9c5} for the fourth straight month.

But the number of jobs in Texas related to the energy sector continued to drop for four straight months. The slowdown in international economic activity, weakening demand for oil, has slowed the oil and gas industry, causing energy companies to shrink in Texas.

The state's mining and logging industry, led by Texas' oil and gas industry, has lost 1,100 jobs since August in September.

The local economy in the Houston area added 2,300 seasonally adjusted jobs from August to September, with a regional unemployment rate of 3.6{7be40b84a6a43fc4fae13304fce9a2695859798abfc41afd127b9f8b21c5f9c5}.