MMAC: Milwaukee-area economy still sluggish - South Florida Business Journal:

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Only three of 20 Aprill indicators registered improvementfrom year-agpo levels, matching the numbert of upward-pointing indicators recorded in March, the MMAC said in its Economidc Trends report. "The employment situation continued to deterioratew with deepening job declines and unemploymenft indicators over double what they were one year saidBret Mayborne, economivc research director for the MMAC. "But metro area existingg homes sales rose for only the second time in nearlhy three years giving some hopefor near-term improvemenr in a stagnant local housinv and real estate market." Nonfarm employment in the metrl area fell 4.
8 percent in April to 812,300, down from March’z 4.3 percent decrease. Employment levels have now declinerd comparedwith year-ago levels in each of the past 12 with April’s decline being the steepestg registered in this period, the MMAC said. Only two of 10 majofr industry sectors registered April job gainsa compared with oneyear ago, while eight registered Unemployment indicators for the metro area both measure more than twice their year-earlier levels. The numbeer of unemployed in metro Milwaukeerose 117.6 against year-ago levels, to 70,300 compared with 32,300 in April 2008. Likewise, new unemployment compensatioj claims rose ata 104.
6 percent rate in Aprill to 12,101, this indicator’s third consecutive year-over-yeaer increase of 100 percent or greater. On the positived side, existing homes sales for the metro arearose 5.6 percen in April, the first year-over-yeaf increase in this indicator in sevebn months and only the second such gain in nearlyh three years.