Iowa's jobless rate dips to 5.6 pct in December (AP)

DES MOINES, Iowa ? Iowa's unemployment has remained below 6 percent for the second month in a row, dipping to 5.6 percent in December.

A report released Tuesday by Iowa Workforce Development says the rate was a tenth of a point under the 5.7 percent in November. The rate was 6.1 percent in December 2010.

The U.S. unemployment also dropped in December, to 8.5 percent, compared with 9.4 percent in December 2010.

Iowa Workforce Development Director Teresa Wahlert says the state's labor force and total unemployment "are beginning to trend upward."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120124/ap_on_bi_ge/us_iowa_unemployment_iowa

richard cordray shannon de lima joe torre west virginia university michele bachmann jessica biel west virginia