> BLS DAILY REPORT, MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2001:
>
> The college enrollment rate for the high school graduating lass of 2000
> rose 0.4 percentage points to 63.3 percent, but was still far below the
> record high rate of 67 percent in 1997, the Bureau of Labor Statistics
> reports. The enrollment rate shows that 1.7 million of the United States'
> 2.8 million high school graduates in 2000 were enrolled in college at
> least part-time during October of that year (Daily Labor Force, page D-4).
>
> The Wall Street Journal's "Tracking the Economy" feature (page C6)
> indicates that the consumer price index for March, due out tomorrow, is
> likely to show an increase of 0.1 percent, according to Thomson Global
> Forecast. The CPI excluding food and energy for March is likely to
> increase 0.2 percent.
>
> Reflecting the weakened labor market, the Wage Trend Indicator edged down
> in the first quarter, hinting that pay pressure might ease later this
> year, according to figures released by the Bureau of National Affairs. It
> remains to be seen if the sluggish labor market will mean private industry
> wages have peaked at a 4 percent annual increase, says economist Joel
> Popkin, whose consulting firm developed the measure for the Bureau of
> National Affairs. A year ago, the WTI began a steady rise that signaled a
> ratcheting up of private industry wage gains from about 3.5 to 4 percent
> as measured by the employment cost index of the Bureau of Labor
> Statistics. If the WTI stays at or below the first quarter level, it would
> be a signal that wage gains are likely to decelerate later this year,
> Popkin said. On average, the WTI predicts shifts in patterns 6 to 7
> months in advance of the ECI figures. BLS is scheduled to release the
> first quarter ECI figures April 26 (Daily Labor Report, page D-1).
>
> Sales of American businesses fell more than inventories in February,
> suggesting sluggish production in the months ahead. Sales fell 0.3
> percent, led by declines at manufacturers and wholesalers, after falling
> 0.2 percent in January, the Commerce Department says. Inventories dropped
> 0.2 percent, the first decrease in more than 2 years, after a 0.1 percent
> increase. The length of time that merchandise stayed on shelves and in
> warehouses remained at 1.37 months in February, the longest since January
> 1999. The February figures suggest that inventories probably grew in the
> first quarter at the slowest pace in 5 years and the weak sales point to
> an economy having a tough time expanding (Bloomberg News in The New York
> Times, page B5).
>
>
> DUE OUT TOMORROW: "Consumer Price Index, March 2001" and "Real Earnings,
> March 2001".
>
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