AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The Texas Workforce Commission says the state's unemployment rate held steady at 8.1 percent in October as the number of jobs increased by 47,900.

The agency said Friday the latest job increase pushed the number of positions added in the past year to 172,800.

Construction employment had its biggest increase since April with 8,800 new jobs. Professional and business services increased by 4,200 jobs. The Texas jobless rate continued to track below the national
rate of 9.6 percent.

Commission Chairman Tom Pauken says every major industry added jobs in October as the state matched its lowest jobless rate of the year.