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

DATE: THURSDAY, July 29, 1993                   TAG: 9307290065
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Staff report
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

JOB ADS STILL PRETTY WEAK

A national measure of labor demand fell in June, and continued weakness in the job markets was forecast.

The Conference Board, a New York business research agency, said Wednesday its monthly Help-Wanted Index stood at 97 points, down from 100 in May but up from 93 in June 1992. The index is based on classified advertising volume for jobs in 51 major U.S. newspapers.

In the South Atlantic region, including Virginia, the index stood at 99 points, off from 101 in May but up from 89 a year earlier.

"As long as major corporations continue to make layoff announcements, no substantial improvement in labor market activity is likely," said Conference Board economist Ken Goldstein.

by CNB