Conference Board Index Suggests Unemployment Will Continue To Rise
The Conference Board Employment Trends Index continued its year-long decline in August, suggesting even more softening to come in the labor market
The Conference Board Employment Trends Index continued its year-long decline in August, suggesting even more softening to come in the labor market.
The index fell in August to 110.8, down 0.5 percent from July's revised figure of 111.4, and down more than 8 percent from a year ago.
"The Employment Trends Index continues to rapidly deteriorate, suggesting there is little likelihood of a turnaround in the job market anytime soon," said Gad Levanon, senior economist at The Conference Board, the global business research and membership organization. "In fact, the pace of decline points toward job losses and rising unemployment extending well into 2009. Leading indicators of employment are deteriorating throughout most of the U.S., with the West South Central region (including Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas) faring better than other regions."
The year-long fall in the Employment Trends Index is seen in all eight of its components, notes Levanon, most notably over the past six months in temporary-help hires and part-time workers for economic reasons.
The Employment Trends Index aggregates eight labor-market indicators, each of which has proven accurate in its own area. Aggregating individual indicators into a composite index filters out so-called "noise" to show underlying trends more clearly.
The eight labor-market indicators aggregated into the Employment Trends Index:
- Percentage of respondents who say they find "Jobs Hard to Get" (The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Survey)
- Initial Claims for Unemployment Insurance (U.S. Department of Labor)
- Percentage of Firms with One or More Jobs Open (National Federation of Independent Business)
- Number of employees hired by the temporary-help industry (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
- Part-time Workers for Economic Reasons (BLS)
- Job Openings (BLS)
- Industrial Production (Federal Reserve Board)
- Real Manufacturing and Trade Sales (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis)
More Fleet Management

American Trucking Associations Looks for a New Leader
ATA President and CEO Chris Spear abruptly left his job at the association on August 21, at a pivotal time for the trucking industry.
Read More →
Public Wi-Fi Cybersecurity Risks: How Truck Drivers and Fleets Can Protect Their Data
Public Wi-Fi can expose truck drivers and fleets to credential theft, malware, and other cyber threats. Here’s how to reduce the risk on the road.
Read More →
For Nicky Cupp, Fleet Innovation Starts With Frustration
HDT Truck Fleet Innovator Nicky Cupp turns everyday pain points at Fraley & Schilling into opportunities for better technology and smarter processes.
Read More →
Adam Buttgenbach’s Approach to Electric Trucks: Start With Where They Fit
HDT Truck Fleet Innovator Adam Buttgenbach helped PepsiCo build one of North America’s largest EV fleets by focusing on where electric trucks make operational sense.
Read More →
Deen Albert: Let Automation Do the Math, People Make the Decisions
HDT Truck Fleet Innovator Deen Albert makes sure people are still at the heart of operations at Grand Island Express, even while adopting artificial intelligence tools. AI-assisted dispatch helped boost revenue 25% with the same number of trucks.
Read More →Trimble’s New AI Agent Takes Aim at Fleet Back-Office Busywork
Arc Agent works across Trimble TMS products to automate repetitive tasks such as freight orders, maintenance, invoices, fuel costs and more.
Read More →
How HDT’s 2026 Truck Fleet Innovators Are Rethinking Fleet Operations
Meet five trucking leaders who are challenging assumptions, solving operational problems, and putting innovative ideas to work.
Read More →
Tight Trucking Capacity Pushes Rates Higher Even as Freight Volumes Fall
“Spot rates moving ahead of contract rates have historically signaled a tightening market, but we haven’t seen a capacity-driven market quite like this one,” said DAT's Dean Croke.
Read More →
Import Cargo’s Early Peak Season is Winding Down
There was an early start to peak season this year at the nation's gateway ports, as retailers brought in merchandise ahead of tariff changes in late July and responded to other supply chain uncertainties,
Read More →
Fewer Cargo Thefts, Bigger Losses: Criminals Target Higher-Value Loads
CargoNet says organized theft rings are stealing fewer shipments but choosing more valuable freight, including metals and technology, resulting in record losses.
Read More →
