The state Department of Economic Development announced Wednesday that Missouri’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.4 percent in December. That’s down three-tenths of a percentage point from November and is the lowest mark since July 2001.

Missouri’s seasonally adjusted employment dropped by 100 jobs from November to December.

The agency also said employment grew by about 4,100 new jobs from October to November. The department previously had reported it rose by 2,200 jobs in that time period.