Nebraska officials estimate that the state's unemployment rate increased slightly in July, to 3.4 percent.

That's one-tenth of a percentage point higher than the rate for June and three-tenths of a percentage point higher than July 2007.

The Nebraska Department of Labor said Friday that the national figure for July 2008 increased to 5.7 percent. That's two-tenths of a percentage point higher than June's rate and a full percentage point higher than the July 2007 rate.

The department also said there were 9,263 more jobs in Nebraska since July 2007. The top three private growth sectors were professional and business services; trade, transportation and utilities; leisure and hospitality.