Indiana's labor force has declined five consecutive months, the longest such streak in more than two years.

Indiana state officials say the state's overall economic outlook remains strong, even as the state's labor force has shrunk four consecutive months.

An automotive parts supplier plans to close its northeastern Indiana plant next spring, costing more than 150 employees their jobs.

Indiana's 3.3 percent July unemployment rate is still near record lows for the state.

Indiana's unemployment rate remained stagnant in May, continuing a months-long streak. But that and the other employment numbers released Friday may not reflect current and future labor market conditions.

Cook Medical announced it is cutting about 120 jobs in Indiana. More than twice as many jobs were lost in the closure of a South Bend Walmart last month. And there have been hundreds of other layoffs across the state since 2023 began.

New federal estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggest a record-high number of Hoosiers were working in 2022 – but not as many as employers may need.

It appears for now employers are still posting more jobs than the states available job seekers can fill. Experts say one cause of that could be a lack of access to affordable child care in Indiana. A state Senate committee is considering funding a pilot program that would split costs between families, employers and the state to bring more parents back into the workforce.

Although the number of unemployed Hoosiers rose, so did the number of people with jobs or looking for work.

Indiana finished 2019 with an unemployment rate at 3.2 percent the fourth month in a row its been at that level.