NCtrend.

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

Latest Previous Previous % change month month year from last year EMPLOYMENT Employed (000s) 4,294.2 4,287.9 4,295.8 nm Civilian labor 4,665.9 4,678.2 4,743.3 (1.6) force Manufacturing 446.4 444.0 439.7 1.5 Service 3,470.2 3,449.9 3,393.1 2.3 Government 715.1 708.9 715.2 nm Unemployed 372,0 390.0 448.0 (16.9) Avg. manufacturing 41.5 42.2 40.8 1.7 workweek (hours) Avg. hourly $16.69 $16.60 $16.59 0.6 production wage Latest Previous Previous % month month year change from Last year TAXABLE RETAIL SALES (1) ($000s) Alamance 144,247.1 141,394.8 136,877.4 5.4 Buncombe 328,335.4 314,219.0 313,232.9 4.8 Cabarrus 204,919.3 202,227.2 197,525.1 3.7 Catawba 147,541.2 145,357.8 139,3654 5.9 Cumberland 280,732.2 282,825.4 310,759.2 (9.7) Durham 441,484.5 428,880.8 398,104.8 10.9 Forsyth 344,069.9 336,960.2 359,605.2 (4.3) Gaston 132,421.2 129,900.1 129,570.5 2.2 Guilford 476,225.9 473,488.8 466,873.8 2.0 Iredell 153,553.7 148,557.8 142,493.4 7.8 Mecklenburg 1,337,711.1 1,282,153.7 1,311,778.4 2.0 New Hanover 280,347.6 291,622.8 268,067.7 4.6 Onslow 152,809.5 156,671.7 158,375.8 (3.5) Pitt 160,093.5 156,414.3 154,006.0 4.0 Wake 984,181.6 965,729.6 843,155.6 16.7 Latest 3 Previous 3 Previous % change months months year from...