Arkansas Business reports that the state's jobless rate has peaked, according to economists in Little Rock and Fayetteville.

Arkansas' unemployment rate has remained steady at 7.6 percent for a couple of months and continues to track much better than the national rate of 9.7 percent. Economists Kathy Deck at the Walton Business College of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and Michael Pakko of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock say the rate has peaked and expect a slow but steady recovery.

Jobs have lagged somewhat in terms of economic recovery, they believe, but are on their way back. Both Deck and Pakko addressed the Arkansas Economic Issues Breakfast Series broadcast via video conference on Wednesday to seven locations across the state.