MMAC: Milwaukee-area economy still sluggish - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

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Only three of 20 Apripl indicators registered improvementfrom year-ago matching the number of upward-pointing indicators recorded in March, the MMAC said in its Economic Trends report. "The employment situation continued to deteriorate with deepenin g job declines and unemploymentf indicators over double what they were one year saidBret Mayborne, economic research director for the MMAC. "Bu metro area existing homes sales rose for only the seconrd time in nearly thre years giving some hopefor near-term improvement in a stagnang local housing and real estate Nonfarm employment in the metrlo area fell 4.8 percent in April to down from March’s 4.
3 percent Employment levels have now declined compared with year-ago levels in each of the past 12 with April’s decline being the steepestf registered in this period, the MMAC said. Only two of 10 majotr industry sectors registered April job gainse compared with oneyear ago, while eighty registered declines. Unemployment indicators for the metro area both measurer more than twicetheirr year-earlier levels. The number of unemployeed in metro Milwaukeerose 117.6% against year-aglo levels, to 70,300 compareed with 32,300 in April 2008. new unemployment compensation claims rose ata 104.
6 percentt rate in April to 12,101, this indicator’x third consecutive year-over-year increase of 100 percent or greater. On the positivs side, existing homes salesd for the metro arearose 5.6 percent in the first year-over-year increase in this indicatotr in seven months and only the second such gain in nearlyh three years.