State labor economist John Tirinzonie credits employment growth in southeast Connecticut following the opening of the MGM Grand hotel and entertainment complex, along with job expansion elsewhere.
He says federal rebate checks also may have helped revive the retail trade industry. However, he cautions that high energy costs could produce bad news over the next several months.
Connecticut's unemployment was 5.4 percent in May, up from 4.7 percent in April, but slightly lower than the national rate of 5.5 percent.
