Their expectations about the future were more optimistic than their assessment of recent activity. Nonetheless, the panel of local retailers is less upbeat than in June when it comes to forecasting future activity. Nonetheless, this bodes well for local people seeking employment. The mark of 322 suggests there are 3.2 jobs being advertised for each job in the base year. This barometer of labor market conditions suggests there is a strong demand for skilled and trained workers.
Many analysts feel that labor shortages throughout the state are holding back business expansions.
The number of new applications on a monthly average basis remains at 106 cases. Total caseload is up by 5.5 percent. The number of new claims on a weekly average basis was virtually unchanged from a year ago. The number of residential alteration permits issued, while high, fell short of last year s figure. Percentage changes between years are not given due to the volatile nature of the activities.