Mortgage lending is said to be flat. There are also continuing reports of some softness in loan quality. Wages and Prices Reports of increasing wages are infrequent in the region at this time. However, reports of labor shortages in parts of the District remain common. Workers from overseas are being recruited and imported into some parts of the region to fill job vacancies.
Craftsmen are in especially short supply.
Contacts continue to report that strong demand for management talent is being met with benefits and fringes instead of higher salaries. Materials prices have increased slightly recently and are expected to continue to escalate moderately, but most contacts expect prices received for finished products to weaken or be unchanged over the next few months. To comment on this site, please fill out our feedback form.