ECONOMY

Conference Board’s Help-Wanted Index Rises: The national volume of such newspaper advertising rose in August, suggesting the weak labor market is modestly improving, the business research group reported. The Conference Board’s seasonally adjusted help-wanted index rose to 104 in August, compared to 100 in July, 97 in June and 93 in August, 1993. The increase suggested the economy was picking up some momentum, reflecting rising demand for goods and services from businesses that must hire more workers as a result, said Kenneth Goldstein, Conference Board economist. The index, calculated on a 1967 base of 100, is derived by measuring the volume of help-wanted advertisements in 51 major newspapers across the country.