The number of help-wanted advertisements measured in...

The number of help-wanted advertisements measured in 51 major newspapers rose slightly in February, indicating employers’ hiring plans are little changed, the Conference Board said. The business research group’s help-wanted index rose to 156 in February from 153 in January, when the barometer dipped slightly. It stood at roughly the same level as in December. “Want-ad volume suggests that hiring intentions are flat at best, as business executives take a hard look at plans for further expansion of operations,” said Kenneth Goldstein, a Conference Board economist.