Help-Wanted Ads Fell Slightly During July; Demand Steady
May 12, 2011
NEW YORK -- Help-wanted advertising fell slightly in July as demand for labor remained steady. The Conference Board said its Help Wanted Advertising Index dropped two points to 83 in July from 85 in June. The index, which uses 1987 as a base year of 100, also was down two points from a year ago. ``Labor demand has been expanding throughout 2011, but in a very uneven pattern,'' said Conference Board economist Kendra Wills. He said that ``conservative hiring plans are keeping job growth below the rate of overall economic activity.'' Over the past three months, help-wanted advertising fell in five of the country's nine regions. The largest declines were in the Mountain region, where help-wanted advertising fell 5.9%; New England, where it fell 4.2%; and South Central, where it fell 3.5%. The greatest increase was in the Midwest region, where help-wanted advertising rose 7.3%. Mr. Wills said that the 2.5% economic growth expected for 2011 should lower the unemployment rate to 5% from 5.5% by the end of the year.
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