RALEIGH -- North Carolina's unemployment rate rose to 9.6 percent in July. The numbers released Friday by the North Carolina Department of Commerce showed a .2 percent increase as the rate had previously held steady at 9.4 percent from April to June.

The national unemployment rate also experienced an increase in July, increasing to 8.3 percent.

In July 2011, North Carolina’s July unemployment rate was 10.7 percent.