Trend.

• Position: Illustration

SOURCES AND LATEST MONTHS CITED: (1) N.C. Department of Revenue, Tax Research Division--October. (2) Respective airport managers--March. (3) Respective electric-utility companies--March. (4) N.C. Department of Agriculture--March. (5) N.C. Department of Revenue, Motor Fuels Tax Division--January sales, from February tax collections. (6) N.C. Utilities Commission--November. (7) Survey of North Carolina executives conducted by Toledo, Ohio-based Findley Davies. (8) Smith Travel Research--February. (9) N.C. Department of the Secretary of State--March. (10) N.C. State Ports Authority--March. (11) N.C. Automobile Dealers Association--March. * Major airline hub whose boardings include a high percentage of transfers.

EMPLOYMENT Latest Previous Previous % change from month month year last year Total employed (000s) 3,972.7 3,942.7 3,922.9 1.3 Civilian labor force 4,192.1 4,194.6 4,190.9 0.0 Manufacturing employment 582.8 584.9 615.6 (5.3) Service employment 2,996.8 2,974.3 2,946.9 1.7 Government employment 667.4 663.6 651.8 2.4 Total unemployed 219.4 252.0 268.0 (18.1) Avg. manufacturing 40.6 40.1 39.8 2.0 workweek (hours) Avg. hourly production $14.03 $13.98 $13.49 4.0 wage RETAIL SALES (1) Latest Previous Previous % month month year change from last year (Selected cities, $000s) Asheville 228,832.6 207,615.0 209,686.6 9.1 Cary 165,850.7 160,364.5 170,645.1 (2.8) Charlotte 1,076,050.2 1,002,776.5 1,099,701.1 (2.2) Durham 324,382.5 320,052.3 322,529.1 0.6 Fayetteville 232,534.3 218,368.3 200,869.6 15.8 Gastonia 120,509.9 111,560.7 117,982.1 2.1 Greensboro 481,420.7 471,047.9 494,140.0 (2.6) Greenville 142,744.8 139,722.1 112,793.1 26.6 Hickory 139,307.2 134,014.4 132,401.5 5.2 High Point 145,974.8 132,897.4 130,484.5 11.9 Raleigh 686,829.8 601,594.8 645,837.3 6.3 Wilmington 204,117.0...