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Show First Security Bank Offers Business Survey Non-agriculture employment in Utah after the first half of 1959 was approximately 258, 000 in Utah, some 16.00Q above a year ago. In Idaho, non-.agriculture was 182,000 some 1,500 higher than a year ago. Those are among the many interesting in-teresting economic facts onthein-termountain onthein-termountain area reported by First Security Bank's News Letter which will be distributed this week, it was announced Thursday by C.G. White and B.W. Vincent, assistant vice presidents in charge of Sugar House branch, First Security Bank. EIRoy Nelson, First Security vice president and economist, prepared pre-pared the News Letter. He is assisted as-sisted by Harvey Frazier. "Unemployment insured ratios in .late June at 2.1 in Idaho and 1.6 Utah were approximately half those of last year's and half of the national nat-ional average," First Security reports. re-ports. Utah's construction during 1958's first half were valued at approximately $125 million. Residential Res-idential construction as well as general construction employment are ahead of last year's. Construction Con-struction values in Idaho during tne year's first half were pegged at $54 million, "slightly below the totals of last year. This is due to decreases in public works and completion of public utility projects," pro-jects," the News Letter said. First Security reports department depart-ment store sales in the Inter-mountain Inter-mountain 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 Sec-urity forecasts. The News Letter notes that soil conditions and moisture mois-ture are becoming increasingly important 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. |