OHIO ECONOMY:

Employment, Unemployment and Economic Development News

The average rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage edged up to 4.96 percent this week from 4.95 percent a week earlier, the mortgage finance company Freddie Mac said today. Full story »

The White House held a ceremony today in the sunny Rose Garden where the president signed into law the $38 billion bill containing a modest mix of tax breaks and spending designed to encourage the private sector to start hiring again. Full story »

The 0.1 percent gain in the Conference Board's index of leading economic indicators was the smallest increase in 11 months. It matched expectations of economists polled by Thomson Reuters. In January, the index increased 0.3 percent.  Full story »

The Labor Department said today that new claims for unemployment insurance fell 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 457,000. That nearly matched analysts' estimates of 455,000, according to Thomson Reuters. Full story »

The Commerce Department said today the deficit in the October-December quarter jumped 12.9 percent to $115.6 billion, as imports of oil, autos and other foreign products outpaced the gains in U.S. exports.  Full story »

The Labor Department's report today indicates there is little sign of inflation, which enables the Federal Reserve to keep the short-term interest rate it controls at a record low in an effort to revive the economy.  Full story »

An eclectic array of projects is finding support from a little-known city of Cleveland loan program. Since late 2008, the city has approved more than $21 million in loans through its Vacant Property Initiative, which aims to help property owners revive empty lots, vacant buildings and little-used structures.  Full story »

A government report that prices at the wholesale level fell by the biggest amount in seven months added to confidence that inflation is contained. That would enable policymakers to keep interest rates low, good news for investors. Full story »

Testifying at a House hearing, Bernanke waged a fresh battle against Senate efforts to scale back the Federal Reserve's role in overseeing the nation's banks.  Full story »

The chronically underachieving nation is saddled with an astonishing level of debt, no real prospect for growth, and a a leader mired in scandal. True to form, Italians, by nature prone to living in the moment, don't seem too concerned: they have high levels of savings, tourism, iconic brands and a habit of muddling through.  Full story »

Companies that hire unemployed workers will get a temporary payroll tax holiday under a bill that easily won congressional approval today in what Democrats hope is just the first of several election-year measures aimed at boosting hiring. Full story »

"It would be safe to assume" that the SEC is looking very closely at the conduct of a number of firms during this time, Schapiro told a House subcommittee. She did not name the companies.  Full story »

Shipments in March are above normal seasonal levels, increasing by about 10 percent compared with the month before, the trucking company said. The first two months of the year are usually the weakest for trucking companies. Full story »

Former Microsoft CFO Chris Liddell says the automaker is making money in China and Brazil, doing OK in North America and will struggle in Europe.  Full story »

A government spokesman said the March 25-26 European Union summit on how to deal with a potential bailout for Greece will be crucial, as the country struggles to reduce a bloated budget deficit and public debt. Full story »