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

DATE: FRIDAY, December 24, 1993                   TAG: 9312240068
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

HELP-WANTED INDEX UP

A monthly monitor of labor demand was unchanged in November from October but was up sharply over year-ago levels, the Conference Board reported this week.

The New York business research agency said its Help Wanted Advertising Index registered 106 points in November, even with October and up from 95 points in November 1992. The index is based on the volume of classified jobs advertising in 51 U.S. newspapers. It is considered a gauge of change in the regional and national supply of jobs.

In the South Atlantic area, which includes Virginia, the index stood at 108 points, down from 111 in October but up from 101 in November 1992.

"Job advertising volume is slowly improving," said Conference Board economist Ken Goldstein. "Although corporate layoffs continue, the general perception is no longer one of a jobless recovery. Unless the trend reserves sharply, hiring should continue to improve in 1994 and the unemployment rate will slowly come down."

- Staff report

by CNB