March 19, 2005 9:29 AM

Mass. firms add jobs for sixth consecutive month
Posted by Douglas Eisenhartat 9:29 AM

Today's Boston Globe reports more good news on the local economy:

Massachusetts employers boosted payrolls by 1,300 jobs in February, a modest gain, but enough to keep the state's economic recovery on track, economists said.

The state has added jobs in each of the past six months, and more than 20,000 in the past year, the Division of Unemployment Assistance reported yesterday. Recent job growth, however, has been too weak to dent the state's jobless rate, which rose slightly for the second consecutive month, to 4.9 percent, from 4.8 percent in January, and 4.7 percent in December.

While there are still signs of weakness, the overall picture is improving, and it is spreading across industry sectors:

. . .Economists said the outlook is brightening. Manufacturing added 500 jobs in February, the first monthly gain since July, while another key sector, professional, scientific and business services, added 1,400. In the last year, the sector nearly 11,000 jobs, the most of any.

Pace, the Global Insight economist, said these gains indicate that firms believe the recovery is well-entrenched and are ready to hire. He added that consumer spending, a vital economic driver, remains solid as leisure and hospitality, which includes hotels and restaurants, added 2,500 jobs last month.

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