3 Industries With Strong Job Growth

IT WAS ONLY a matter of time before the turmoil hitting the credit markets and housing industry started to take its toll on hiring.

During the first quarter, more than 200,000 workers were handed pink slips, according to a survey by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Among the hardest hit industries, the financial and retail sectors shed 26,719 and 16,608 jobs, respectively. The rockiest region was the West/Southwest with California losing a total of 22,866 positions.

Still, however, we aren't seeing the massive layoffs we experienced after the 2001 recession and the dot.com bust — at least not yet. The unemployment rate sits at a relatively healthy 5.1% (back in 2003, it hit an annual average of 6%) and many industries, including health care and technology, are still hiring, according to Monster.com's (MNST: 24.33, +0.08, +0.32%) March employment survey. Regionally, the top growth markets according to online classified ads, include Pittsburgh, followed by Houston and Dallas.

If you've recently been laid off or are simply looking for greener pastures, here are some industries (beyond health care and technology) that are looking for workers.


Not all professions are prone to pink slips. Here are some fields that are hiring.

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[Source: SmartMoney.com - Consumer Action

A bloody crackdown

Worsening repression inside Zimbabwe

THE situation in Zimbabwe is akin to war, says the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). It is certainly looking ever more brutal. Violence and repression have escalated dramatically over the past few days. Pro-government militias roam the countryside, terrorising and beating suspected opposition supporters. The police remain idle or, in some cases, join in with the beatings. The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights, a local outfit, has treated over 240 cases of injury, including broken limbs, resulting from organised violence since parliamentary and presidential elections just over three weeks ago.

Human Rights Watch, an international group, says that ZANU-PF, the ruling party of President Robert Mugabe, has set up torture camps across the country as part of a systematic campaign to intimidate the opposition, which won the parliamentary elections and, it claims, the presidential vote too. Victims are taken to the camps at night and beaten for hours with thick sticks, bars and army batons. Huts and houses have been torched. An unofficial curfew is in force in the poor suburbs of Harare, the capital. The MDC says that ten of its supporters have been killed, some shot dead. The opposition also says that some 3,000 families have had to flee their homes, 500 people have been put in hospital and over 400 opposition activists have been arrested. ...

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[Source: The Economist: News analysis -

The week ahead

What may be in the news

? DEMOCRATS in Pennsylvania have their say about who the party's presidential candidate should be when the state holds its primary election on Tuesday April 22nd. In the six weeks since the last contest in Mississippi Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have made gaffes over Bosnian snipers and free-trade agreements (Mrs Clinton) and race-baiting pastors and ?bitter? voters (Mr Obama). Mrs Clinton is expected to win the vote on Tuesday. If not, it will spell the end of her campaign.

For background see article ...

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[Source: The Economist: News analysis

And the cupboard was bare

British banks start to pass round the begging bowl

EVER since the emperor bought new clothes, there have been few instances of self-delusion quite as stark as that of cavalier British bankers at the start of 2008. Just as rivals in America and other parts of Europe were writing down billions on their investments in dodgy mortgage loans and frantically raising money, the bosses of Britain?s biggest banks were instead blithely increasing their dividends in a blustery display of financial strength. Just how hollow it was became apparent on Friday April 18th when it emerged that Royal Bank of Scotland, the country?s second biggest bank, might have to raise money to satisfy bank regulators.

The amount will not be trivial, not will be its impact on shareholders. Analysts reckon that Royal Bank may have to raise between GBP10 billion ($19.9 billion) and GBP13 billion, about a third of its current market value of GBP37 billion. It is expected to do so through a share sale which will probably be announced at its annual shareholders? meeting on April 23rd. ...

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[Source: The Economist: News analysis -

Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo warn 'delusional' investors on stocks

Wall Street faces the growing risk of an equities bloodbath in coming months as the credit crunch spreads to the wider economy and earnings crumble, according to a pair of grim reports issued by Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo.

Goldman Sachs said the key for equities will be the full-year guidance offered by companies

David Kostin, the chief US investment guru for Goldman Sachs, expects the S&P 500 index of Wall Street equities to plummet a further 15pc over the "near term" as companies scramble to lower their outlook for this year.

"Although only a few firms have reported first quarter results, early signs are awful. We expect a swath of lowered profit guidance," he said in a research note published today, entitled 'Fasten Seatbelts'.

Mr Kostin, who replaced the ever-bullish Abby Cohen as chief strategist in December, expects the S&P index to reach 1,160, which would amount to a fall of 27pc from the bull market peak of 1,576 in September and enter the annals as a relatively severe bear market.