
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 31, 1993                   TAG: 9303310063
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Staff report
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

HELP-WANTED AD VOLUME SHOWS INVIGORATING SIGNS

A monthly measure of labor demand rose in February to its highest level in nearly two years, the Conference Board reported Tuesday.

The New York-based business research organization said its help-wanted index reached 98 points last month after hovering between 90 and 95 points for the past two years. The index hit 92 points in January and 90 points in February 1992.

The index measures the volume of classified employment want-ads in 51 U.S. newspapers, using volumes in 1967 as a base of 100 points. The Roanoke Times & World-News is not included in the survey.

In the board's South Atlantic area, which includes Virginia, the index registered 105 points, up from 99 in January and 86 in February 1992.

"This indicator has finally broken out of the extremely narrow range sustained for almost two years . . . suggesting that job advertising is beginning to recover," said Conference Board economist Ken Goldstein. "Some rise in hiring may become evident before the end of this spring."

by CNB