NC trend.

SOURCES AND LATEST MONTHS CITED: (1) N.C. Department of Revenue--August. (2) Carolinas AGC Inc.--May-July; based on contracts awarded for highway; utility and commercial-building jobs. (3) airports--August. (4) companies--August. (5)federal bankruptcy courts--August. (6) N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts--August. (7) N.C. Department of Revenue--July sates, from August tax collections. (8) N.C. Division of Tourism. Film and Sports Development--August. (9) N.C. Department of the Secretary of State--August. (10) N.C. State Ports Authority--August. (11) N.C. Automobile Dealers Association--August. * includes a high percentage of transfers. nm = not meaningful

Latest Previous Previous % change month month year from last year EMPLOYMENT Employed 4,275.1 4,278.7 4,270.4 0.1 (000s) Civilian labor 4,684.6 4,698.9 4,723.5 (0.8) force Manufacturing 445.0 444.4 441.4 0.8 Service 3,437.6 3,365.6 3,369.8 2.0 Government 676.9 610.8 685.3 (1.2) Unemployed 409.5 418.2 453.2 (9.6) Avg. 42.1 41.0 40.9 2.9 manufacturing workweek (hours) Avg. hourly $16.62 $16.69 $16.37 1.5 production wage UNEMPLOYMENT RATE [conjunction] Higher than * Below 6.0% * 10.0% - 11.9% previous month [disjunction] Lower * 6.0% - 7.9% * 12.0% - 13.9% = Same * 8.0% - 9.9% * 14 0% and above Source: Division of Employment Security; August county rates are not seasonally adjusted Latest month Previous Previous % change month year from last year TAXABLE RETAIL SALES (1) ($000s) Alamance 139,313.1 146,067.2 130,935.0 6.4 Buncombe 318,183.0 325,407.8 303,568.6 4.8 Cabarrus 197,084.3 213,368.9 190,547.2 3.4 Catawba 142,7943 153,655.2 135,896.7 5.1 Cumberland 272,5380 299,949.5 268.933.8 1.3 Durham 400,948.5 472,715.6 366,537.9 9.4 Forsyth 324,372 2 353,494.7 315,775.6 2.7 Gaston 127,774.0 133,787.3 125,923.8 1.5 Guilford 450,693.0 528,897.4 442,925.1 1.8 Iredell 142,904,9 152,992.1 131,690.4 8.5 Mecklenburg 1,221,849.4 1,376,396.9 1,222,122.6 nm New Hanover 299,346.8 309,364.8 299,541,6 (0.1) Onslow 158,659.1 165,893.4 159,355.8 (0.4) Pitt 139,906.6...