THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT  
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Monday, June 3, 1996                  TAG: 9606010141
SECTION: BUSINESS WEEKLY         PAGE: 15   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BUSINESS WEEKLY 
                                            LENGTH:   24 lines

ECONOMY BETTER, SURVEY SAYS

The economy looks better this summer in South Hampton Roads, says Manpower Inc.'s hiring survey.

The personnel firms' survey of southside businesses found 24 percent plan to add workers in July, August and September.

Another 3 percent predict layoffs, 67 percent see no change and 6 percent are uncertain.

Factories and retailers seem the mostly likely to hire, while layoffs will be concentrated in services.

A year ago, 13 percent of the firms surveyed predicted layoffs and 13 percent intended to hire.

The southside's hiring rate trails the regional and national forecasts, the survey said.

Throughout the Southeast, 26 percent of all firms surveyed intended to hire and 7 percent intended to fire in July, August and September.

KEYWORDS: HAMPTON ROADS ECONOMY SURVEY by CNB