MMAC: Milwaukee-area economy still sluggish - Memphis Business Journal:

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Only three of 20 Apri l indicators registered improvementfrom year-ago levels, matchinyg the number of upward-pointing indicators recordex in March, the MMAC said in its Economicf Trends report. "The employment situation continued to deteriorates with deepening job declines and unemployment indicators over double what they were one year saidBret Mayborne, economic research director for the MMAC. "Buyt metro area existing homes sales rose for only the secon time in nearly three years givint some hopefor near-term improvement in a stagnanft local housing and real estate market." Nonfark employment in the metro area fell 4.8 percenr in April to 812,300, down from March’s 4.
3 percenr decrease. Employment levels have now decliner comparedwith year-ago levels in each of the past 12 with April’s decline being the steepest registerefd in this period, the MMAC said. Only two of 10 major industry sectors registered April job gains compared with oneyear ago, while eight registered declines. Unemployment indicators for the metro area both measured more than twic etheir year-earlier levels. The number of unemployeds in metro Milwaukeerose 117.6% against year-agl levels, to 70,300 compared with 32,3090 in April 2008. Likewise, new unemployment compensation claims rose ata 104.
6 percent rate in April to 12,101, this indicator’a third consecutive year-over-year increase of 100 percent or On the positive side, existing homez sales for the metro area rose 5.6 percent in April, the first year-over-year increase in this indicatot in seven months and only the second such gain in nearl y three years.