THE FINAL seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in January was 9.9 percent, a .3 percent increase from December. As of early February, the number employed was 5,553,000; unemployed, 548,000. Final seasonally adjusted unemployment rates in November in the state's Standard Metropolitan Statistical Areas were: Bloomington-Normal, 6.2 percent; Champaign-Urbana-Rantoul, 5.6 percent; Chicago, 8.4 percent; Davenport-Rock Island-Moline (Illinois sector), 14.4 percent; Decatur, 11.2 percent; Kankakee, 13.9 percent; Peoria, 12.9 percent; Rockford, 13.9 percent; Springfield, 6.7 percent; East St. Louis (Illinois sector), 10.5 percent.

The end-of-month balance in general funds for January was $296.80 million, the highest month-end balance in over three years. This is a relatively strong balance when compared with the balance of $15 million at the end of February 1983. However, the Bureau of the Budget has forecasted a $171 million balance by the end of March 1984, which will again drop it below the $200 million "warning zone." The average daily available balance in general funds in January was $204.61 million; the combined fund end-of-month balance was 440.91 million.

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