Jobless rates for Hispanic and Asian workers sank in October

Unemployment rates for Hispanic and Asian workers fell sharply in October but ticked up for recent veterans and those with just a high school diploma.

The rate for workers of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity dropped to 5.7 percent from 6.4 percent in September. And more Asian workers found jobs last month, which helped reduce their unemployment rate from 3.9 percent to 3.4 percent, its lowest level since February 2015.

The unemployment rate for veterans who have served in the U.S. armed forces anytime since September 2001 crept up to 4.7 percent from 4.4 percent. And for high school graduates, unemployment rose to 5.5 percent from 5.2 percent.

All told, U.S. employers added 161,000 jobs in October. The overall unemployment rate slipped to 4.9 percent from 5 percent in September.

The data for demographic groups came from a survey of households that is part of the Labor Department's monthly jobs report.