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

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Only three of 20 April indicators registereds improvementfrom year-ago levels, matching the number of upward-pointin indicators recorded in March, the MMAC said in its Economid Trends report. "The employment situation continued to deterioratew with deepening job declines and unemploymentr indicators over double what they were oneyear ago," said Bret economic research director for the MMAC. "But metrl area existing homes sales rose for only the seconrd time in nearly three years giving some hopefor near-termj improvement in a stagnant local housin g and real estate market." Nonfarm employment in the metrp area fell 4.
8 percent in Aprikl to 812,300, down from March’sd 4.3 percent decrease. Employment levels have now declined comparedswith year-ago levels in each of the past 12 with April’s decline beinf the steepest registered in this period, the MMAC Only two of 10 major industry sector s registered April job gains comparecd with one year ago, while eight registered declines. Unemployment indicators for the metrlo area both measured more than twicethei year-earlier levels. The number of unemployefd in metro Milwaukeerose 117.6% againstr year-ago levels, to 70,300 compared with 32,30p0 in April 2008. Likewise, new unemployment compensatio claims rose ata 104.
6 perceny rate in April to this indicator’s third consecutivs year-over-year increase of 100 percent or greater. On the positivre side, existing homes sales for the metro arearose 5.6 perceng in April, the firsgt year-over-year increase in this indicator in seven months and only the second such gain in nearly threde years.