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Online advertised vacancies rose 222,700 to 4,150,000 in April, according to The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine™ (HWOL) Data Series. Over the past six months, labor demand has increased by 870,000, and this increase has been widely shared across the States and occupational categories.

Companies backed by private equity investments provide jobs for more than six million Americans, or more than five percent of all private-sector workers, according to a new analysis released by the Private Equity Council.

Though a growing number of economic indicators point to an improving economy, the latest Citibank small business survey indicates otherwise. An overwhelming majority (77 percent) of small business owners say they believe current business conditions are only fair or poor, while 43 percent say their own business condition is worse off than it was a year ago. At the same time, however, a majority (58 percent) of small business owners say their business has performed better than expected. Looking ahead, slightly more than four in 10 said they expect business conditions will improve in the next 12 months, expressing a tempered level of optimism.

Most American workers say they derive satisfaction from their job and “live to work.” But only about a third say they have actively prepared for being sidelined due to an injury or illness, even though nearly nine out of 10 say they know there are steps they can take to protect themselves. These are some of the findings from a Yankelovich survey among full and part-time employees conducted for CIGNA.

The impact of the widely publicized mortgage meltdown appears to have caused little change in borrower behavior during the past two years, according to a new Zillow Mortgage Marketplace survey(i) of 2,729 adults conducted on its behalf in April by Harris Interactive®. Borrowers report they are spending no more time researching a home loan today than they did in 2008 and those who obtained a loan in the past five years are soliciting fewer quotes - an average of three quotes versus four in 2008.

Most support expanding insurance, but they don’t know how the changes will affect them. The number one reason for that opposition: 81 percent think the law makes the wrong changes. And, 39 percent say the law would be “bad” for people like them, while 26 percent aren't sure.

Unemployment rates were higher in March than a year earlier in 321 of the 372 metropolitan areas, lower in 41 areas, and unchanged in 10
areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Twenty- eight areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15.0 percent, while 3 areas registered rates below 5.0 percent. The national unemployment rate in March was 10.2 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 9.0 percent a year earlier.

In the current economic environment, home-based businesses (HBBs) in the U.S. are increasingly turning to the web to boost business. Social networking sites, web sites and VoIP are playing an increasingly prominent role in the survival of the HBB.

Mortgage rates showed little movement once again this week, with the average conforming 30-year fixed mortgage inching lower to 5.21 percent, according to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.45 discount and origination points.

Fidelity Investments released a study that finds more than half (55 percent) of newly eligible investors who have old 401(k)s with former employers are not certain whether their assets can be converted to Roth IRAs.