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From September 2009 to September 2010, employment increased in 162 of the 326 largest U.S. counties according to preliminary data, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Elkhart, Ind., posted the largest percentage increase, with a gain of 6.8 percent over the year, compared with national job growth of 0.2 percent. Within Elkhart, the largest employment increase occurred in manufacturing, which gained 5,570 jobs over the year (14.2 percent). Sacramento, Calif., experienced the largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment among the largest counties in the U.S. with a loss of 3.7 percent. Within Sacramento, state government had the largest percentage decrease in employment with a loss of 7.5 percent.

Emerging East Asia's local currency bond markets expanded by 13.6% to $5.2 trillion in 2010, driven by strong growth in corporate bonds that helped to offset a decline in issuance by central banks and some governments in the last quarter of 2010.

Private-sector employment increased by 201,000 from February to March on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the latest ADP National Employment Report®. The ADP National Employment Report, created by Automatic Data Processing, Inc., in partnership with Macroeconomic Advisers, LLC, is derived from actual payroll data and measures the change in total nonfarm private employment each month.

From January to February, the industrial profits of enterprises above designated size achieved 645.5 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 34.3%. The profits of State-owned and State-holding Industrial Enterprises gained 224 billion yuan, up by 25%; that of collective-owned enterprises amounted to 9.9 billion yuan, up by 39.3%; that of Share-holding Corporation Ltd amounted to 357.8 billion yuan, up by 38.6%; that of enterprises with funds from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and Foreign Funded Enterprises reached 181.3 billion yuan, up by 26%; that of private enterprises gained 162.6 billion yuan, increased 49.7% year-on-year.

Small business employment continued to grow in March with employment up in all nine U.S. divisions. Hours worked continued to grow with wages remaining flat.

Data through January 2011, released by Standard & Poor's for its S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, show further deceleration in the annual growth rates in 13 of the 20 MSAs and the 10- and 20-City Composites compared to the December 2010 report. The 10-City Composite was down 2.0% and the 20-City Composite fell 3.1% from their January 2010 levels. San Diego and Washington D.C. were the only two markets to record positive year-over-year changes. However, San Diego was up a scant 0.1%, while Washington DC posted a healthier +3.6% annual growth rate. The same 11 cities that had posted recent index level lows in December 2010, posted new lows in January.

Amid positive reports for unemployment and jobless claims, employee optimism about the job market continues to rise. Among full-time, part-time and/or self-employed adults, 40 percent say they believe it is "likely" they could find a new job matched to their experience and compensation levels within six months if they lost their current job – the highest level in six quarters, according to the Q1 Glassdoor.com® Employment Confidence Survey of 2,045 U.S. adults aged 18+ conducted on its behalf by Harris Interactive®. Approximately one-third (31 percent) say they are uncertain while 28 percent believe it is "unlikely" they would find a comparable job in the same period.

The annual growth rate of M3 increased to 2.0% in February 2011, from 1.5% in January 2011. The threemonth average of the annual growth rates of M3 over the period December 2010 - February 2011 stood at 1.7%, unchanged from the previous period.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index®, which had increased in February, declined in March. The Index now stands at 63.4 (1985=100), down from 72.0 in February. The Present Situation Index improved to 36.9 from 33.8. The Expectations Index decreased to 81.1 from 97.5 last month.

In the midst of the most severe economic downturn since the Great Depression, and with millions of Americans unemployed or underemployed, a majority of employers are facing a major challenge recruiting employees with the skills, training and education their companies require.