Market cooling overall according to Conference Board
The Conference Board Help-Wanted Advertising Index, a key measure of job offerings in major newspapers across the United States, increased one point in October.
However, job postings have been declining over the past year. The index currently stands at 30. It was 37 one year ago.
"The job market is responding to a cooling in the overall economic environment. This holiday season, deep discounts are being offered for many products, but this will cut into profit margins as labour cost increases edge up," said Ken Goldstein, labour economist at the Conference Board.
"That makes business attitudes no more bullish than consumer attitudes. Business plans have become cautious — on spending, on building inventory, and on hiring going forward.”
Although print advertising was generally flat, the rise in online ad volume increased modestly. Total online job ads increased by 198,300 (six per cent) to 3,831,100 in October.
However, job postings have been declining over the past year. The index currently stands at 30. It was 37 one year ago.
"The job market is responding to a cooling in the overall economic environment. This holiday season, deep discounts are being offered for many products, but this will cut into profit margins as labour cost increases edge up," said Ken Goldstein, labour economist at the Conference Board.
"That makes business attitudes no more bullish than consumer attitudes. Business plans have become cautious — on spending, on building inventory, and on hiring going forward.”
Although print advertising was generally flat, the rise in online ad volume increased modestly. Total online job ads increased by 198,300 (six per cent) to 3,831,100 in October.
