Iowa companies shed 3,700 jobs in October, the fourth straight month of losses, data from Iowa Workforce Development shows.

Since June, Iowa firms have shed 10,000 jobs, according to the state agency. Iowa’s total nonfarm employment is now just over 1.6 million.

Most of the job losses in October were in construction, which lost 1,800 jobs, and manufacturing, which lost 1,600 jobs.

“October’s report provides more indications of Iowans’ worry about the general state of the U.S. economy in the run-up to the national election,” Beth Townsend, the agency’s executive director, said in a prepared statement. “Now that we are past the election, we expect employers’ prior hesitation may dissipate.”

Nationwide Insurance Co. economist Daniel Vielhaber speculated that if Iowa companies continue to eliminate jobs in November and December, the state “could end up with contracting payrolls for the year. In fact, the current level of payrolls is only higher than the pre-pandemic level by 0.6%,” Vielhaber wrote in his employment report.

Iowa’s unemployment rate in October was 3%, up slightly from September. The U.S. unemployment rate remained at 4.1%.

To read the entire report, click here.