NEW YORK, Sept. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conference Board Help-Wanted
Advertising Index -- a key measure of job offerings in major newspapers
across America -- dipped one point in August. The Index now stands at 31.
It was 37 one year ago.
The Conference Board is the global business research and membership
organization.
In the last three months, help-wanted advertising declined in eight of
the nine U.S. regions. Steepest declines occurred in the West North Central
(-17.5%), Middle Atlantic (-17.3%), Mountain (-9.2%) and West South Central
(-9.2%) regions.
Says Ken Goldstein, labor economist at The Conference Board: "The
latest data show that job advertising in print edged lower again in August,
while the rise in ad volume online continued to slow. A stronger job market
this winter does not seem likely, given the overall economic environment.
It's not just cooler consumer attitudes and spending (despite some relief
from high gas prices). Business is bracing for the prospect of less profit
growth -- because volumes are down and rising costs could start to squeeze
margins. That makes business attitudes no more bullish than consumer
attitudes."
New online job ads increased to 2,574,280 according to The Conference
Board Help-Wanted OnLine Data Series(TM). The August level was 239,905, or
10 percent above the previous month and followed a modest decline in July.
In August, there were 1.71 online job ads per 100 persons in the U.S. labor
force, compared with 1.55 in July and 1.63 in June.
ABOUT THE HELP-WANTED ADVERTISING INDEX
The Conference Board surveys help-wanted print advertising volume in 51
major newspapers across the country every month. Because ad volume has
proven to be sensitive to labor market conditions, this measure provides a
gauge of change in the local, regional and national supply of jobs.
Latest seasonally-adjusted results follow:
August 06 July 06 June 06 August 05
National Index 31 32 34 37
Proportion of Labor Markets
With rising Want-ad Volume 25% 43% 47% 25%
Unemployment Rate 4.7% 4.8% 4.6% 4.9%
SOURCE The Conference Board
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.conference-board.org
CONTACT:
Ken Goldstein, +1-212-339-0331
|
