By Ruth Mantell
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- A gauge of employment trends ticked lower in July, and weak employment growth is expected through the end of the year, according to a Monday report from the Conference Board. The private research group said its employment-trends index, which is designed to forecast turning points in employment, fell 0.3% in July from the prior month, but is 4% higher than in the prior year. The Conference Board expects employment growth of less than 100,000 jobs per month through the end of this year, below levels that are consistent with strong hiring. "There is simply not enough growth in production to warrant stronger hiring," said Gad Levanon, an economist at the Conference Board. The employment-trends index is made up of eight labor-market indicators, such as the number of job openings.
