New figures from the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity show the unemployment rate rose by a tenth of a percent from June into July. 

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for Arizona hit 3.6% last month. 

Those same figures show that about 38,865 people applied for unemployment insurance last week. That is up 31% from the same week last year. 

Meanwhile, the number of new hires is at the lowest levels since early 2021, and job openings fell.

All of this comes as the Fed has steadily increased the cost of borrowing with the hopes of cooling inflation.

Doug Walls with the Office of Economic Opportunity said the figures could be a sign employers are concerned about where the economy is headed. 

More stories from KJZZ

• Arizona Court of Appeals makes it harder to challenge billboard zoning approvals
• Maricopa County saw record evictions during its hottest July ever