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Show FIRST SECURITY NEWS LETTER OUT JTHIS WEEK Non-agriculture employment in Utah after the first half of 1959 was appn ximately 258,000 in Utah, some 16,000 above a year ago. f. Idaho, non-agriculture employment was 182,000, some 1.500 higher than a year ago. Those are among the many interesting in-teresting economic fact on the in-termountain in-termountain area reported by First Security Bank's News Letter which will be distributed this week, it wa announced Wednesday by Rodney O. Chapman, manager. First Security Se-curity Bank, Bingham Canyon. EIRoy Nelson, First Security vice president and economist, prepared the New Letter. He is assisted by Harvey Frazier. "Unemployment insured ratios in late June at 2.1 in Idaho and 1.6 in Utah were approximately half those of last year's and half of the national na-tional average," F. S. reports. Utah's construction during 1958s first half were valued at approximately approxi-mately $125 million. Residential construction as well as general construction con-struction employment are ahead of last year'. Construction values in Idaho during the year's first half were pegged at $54 million, "slightly "slight-ly below totals of last year. This is due to decreases in public works and completion of public utility project," the Letter ay. First Security report department store sale in the intermountain area for the first half of 1959 were 10-14 per cent above a year ago. Automobile sales are up some 30 per cent, and total retail trade is about nine per cent better than 1958's. "Cash farm income will be slightly lower in Utah, higher in Idaho than in 1958," First Security foremasts. The New Letter note that soil conditions and moisture are becoming increasingly important import-ant in the farm outlook. Prices are expected to continue depressed in poultry and eggs, and heavier slaughter and shipments of beef and lamb are expected in the months ahead. O |