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FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF SAN FRANCISCO

Western
Economic
Developments
Consumers keep home prices rising throughout the West
Figure 1: Nominal home price appreciation
(percent change over year earlier)
12
2001: December
2002: March

10

8

6

4

2

0
US

12th*

AK

AZ

CA

HI

ID

NV

OR

UT

WA

*Employment-weighted average.
Note: Figure reflects changes in prices on repeat sales of existing homes.
Source: Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.

Consumer spending has been the primary driver of recovery in the
West, fueling growth in retail trade, travel and tourism, and many
service-producing industries. Nowhere is the resilience of consumers as apparent as in Western housing markets. Data through the
first quarter show nominal home prices and home sales rising relative to a year earlier in most Twelfth Federal Reserve District states
(Figures 1 and 2). In the first quarter, District home prices rose
5.7% and home sales increased by 11% on a year-over-year basis,
about the same as the nation. Housing markets have been especially
strong in California, with home prices increasing 7.4% and home
sales rising 20%. Elsewhere in the District, nominal price appreciation during the first quarter ranged from 6.1% in Hawaii to 1.9% in
Utah. While these appreciation rates are below those recorded in
2001, they remain high relative to previous periods of economic
slowing. In contrast to the fourth quarter of 2001, home sales have
increased in most District states this year, with only Idaho and Utah
recording year-over-year declines in home sales in the first quarter.
The sustained strength of housing demand in the West has begun
to spur new building. Except for Alaska, Nevada, and Utah, all District states showed increases in residential permits on a three-month

Figure 2: Change in home sales
(percent change over year earlier)
30
2001: December

JUNE 2002

2002: March

25

15
10
5
0
-5
-10
US

12th

AK

AZ

CA

Source: National Association of Realtors.

HI

ID

NV

OR

UT

WA

IN THIS ISSUE

20

Signs of life in District IT ............................................................................. 3
Employment growth remains lackluster ............................................... 4
High-tech Watch ........................................................................................... 5
STATE HIGHLIGHTS
Alaska, Oregon, Washington .................................................................. 6
Arizona, California, Hawaii ...................................................................... 8
Idaho, Nevada, Utah ............................................................................... 10

average basis in April.1 The pickup in home building is a
boost to the construction industry, which has seen a sharp
drop-off in demand for commercial development.
Housing market fundamentals
An important question going forward is what will happen
to home prices. One concern is that the runup in real estate
values has pushed prices to unsustainable levels, leaving
owners open to large changes in wealth should home prices
correct. While it is difficult to know the extent to which
these concerns are warranted, it is possible to assess the
risk of such a decline in the District relative to the rest of the
U.S. based on trends in home price appreciation, residential permits, and jobs-to-housing ratios.
Figures 3 and 4 show trends in the OFHEO home price
index and in residential permits, respectively, for California, the Twelfth District less California, and the U.S.2 The
series are indexed to 100 in 1991:Q1. As Figure 3 shows,
over the course of the 1990s expansion, home price appreciation in the District outside of California generally outpaced price appreciation in the nation. Between 1991:Q1
and 2002:Q1 home prices in the District outside of California rose by 69%; prices rose by 57% in the nation over the
Figure 3: OFHEO home price index
1991 = 100

same time period. In contrast, home price appreciation in
California lagged significantly, tempered by the deep recession in the early 1990s. As California began to expand in
the latter half of the 1990s, home price appreciation rose
sharply. However, over the entire U.S. expansion, home
prices in California rose less than those in other parts of the
nation. Home prices in California rose by 41% between
1991 and 2002. The experience in California in the 1990s
contrasts with that during the 1980s expansion, when home
price appreciation in the state outpaced that of the rest of the
District and the nation.
Trends in home building activity during the latest expansion reflected the relative strength of housing markets in all
three regions (Figure 4). Growth in residential permits in
the District (less California) and the nation was similar, with
permits in both areas increasing at a more rapid pace than
in California. Residential permit growth lagged noticeably
in California but increased with home prices as the state
began to recover.
To get a sense of how the relative balance of housing supply (measured by permits) and housing demand (measured
by employment growth) evolved in these areas over the
1990s, Table 1 reports the average jobs-to-housing ratio
over three periods: 1991–2000, 1995–2000, and 1991–
2002. The jobs-to-housing ratio is computed as changes in
payroll employment relative to housing permits.3 Regional

180
160

Figure 4: Residential building permits

12th District - CA
140
120

1991 = 100
350

US

100

300

80

CA

250
12th District - CA

60
200

40

150

20
0
Mar-83

100

Mar-87

Mar-91

Mar-95

Mar-99

Mar-02
50

US
CA

Source: Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.

0
Mar-83

1 Nominal home price appreciation for major District MSAs are displayed
in the State Highlights section, pp. 6-11.
2 Home price appreciation for the District less California is a weighted
average of home price appreciation in Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho,
Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington with the weights equal to state
employment shares.

2

Mar-87

Mar-91

Mar-95

Mar-99

Mar-02

Source: Census Bureau.

3 Data from the Census Bureau on population and household size show no
significant change in the number of persons per household over the period examined.

Western Economic Developments
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

June 2002

Signs of life in District IT
Table 1: Jobs-to-housing ratio
1991 - 2000

1995 - 2000

1991 - 2002

US

1.37

1.51

1.13

12th - CA

1.51

1.52

1.25

CA

1.99

3.56

1.73

Note: 2002 data current through April.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau.

planners generally consider 1.5 to be a target jobs-to-housing ratio.
As the table shows, building activity in the District outside
of California closely follows that for the U.S. as a whole.
Between 1991 and 2000, the District excluding California
averaged 1.5 jobs per every new housing permit issued,
only slightly above that for the nation and right on the 1.5
ratio. As the economy has slowed, the jobs-to-housing ratio in the District less California has fallen (the ratio for
1991–2002 is 1.25) but remains in line with the nation.
The experience in California has been far different, with
building activity relative to job growth proceeding at a far
slower pace than the rest of the nation during the 1990s
expansion. Between 1991 and 2000, California averaged 2
jobs per new housing permit issued, well above the national ratio. Between 1995 and 2000, the jobs-to-housing
ratio in the state rose to 3.6, more than twice that for the
U.S. and the rest of the District. The growth in the jobs-tohousing ratio in California during this period is consistent
with the acceleration in home price appreciation in the state
observed in Figure 3. As the economy has slowed the jobsto-housing ratio in California has come down slightly but
remains higher than for the rest of the District and the nation.
Overall, the trends in home price appreciation, residential
permits, and the jobs-to-housing ratios suggest that the
District is no more vulnerable to a retracing of residential
real estate prices than is the rest of the nation. Supply appears to be in check in the District outside of California,
with residential permit growth moderating as home price
appreciation slows. In California, a relative backlog of demand (represented by a high jobs-to-housing ratio) should
work to keep housing markets in the state tight in coming
quarters.

Job losses in high-tech manufacturing and computer and
data processing services continued in recent months. Still,
there are signs that conditions among information technology firms are stabilizing and even improving in some areas.
Strong demand for personal computers and consumer electronics as well as a pickup in business investment in IT
products (see High-tech Watch) boosted orders and sales
among manufacturers of computers, semiconductors, and
semiconductor equipment in recent months. According to
the Semiconductor Association of America (SIA), sales of
semiconductors increased 18.9% at an annual rate over the
three months ending in April, with particularly strong sales
to Asia Pacific nations other than Japan. Orders for computers and office equipment also increased in March, and
the pace of decline in shipments eased substantially.
An improved outlook among makers of semiconductors
has begun to boost demand among makers of semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Data from SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International) announced
that their book-to-bill ratio (value of new orders relative to
value of new shipments) rose to 1.20 in April, up from a
low of 0.62 in August 2001. April marks the second consecutive month of a book-to-bill higher than one. Industry
experts from SEMI noted in a June press release that recent
announcements by leading foundries regarding capital
spending plans for 2002 were strong relative to expectations.
Separate information from Compustat on sales by high-tech
manufacturing and software firms headquartered in the District supports the trends observed in national figures.4 Overall, sales growth among District makers of semiconductors
and computers has outpaced sales growth among communications equipment makers and software developers. Moreover, expenditures on research and development stabilized
in the first quarter of 2002, following nearly a year of continuous declines. Finally, recent earnings announcements
by a number of leading IT firms suggest that, outside of the
telecommunications sector, profits have begun to stabilize.
Consistent with improved sales of IT products, capacity
utilization among high-tech manufacturers in the nation
increased in recent months. As of April, capacity utilization

4 Compustat data include all publicly traded firms. Information technology firms were selected by SIC codes as defined by the American Electronics Association.

Western Economic Developments
June 2002

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

3

for computer, electronics, and communications equipment
makers was 63.4%. At its low point capacity utilization was
59%.5 Detailed data for California show that utilization of
labor also has increased in recent months. In April, weekly
work hours in electronics and computer manufacturing averaged 42.4, about the same as the peak in December 2000.
In contrast, work hours among makers of communications
equipment remained well below prior levels.
Although the sales outlook for District IT firms has improved in recent months, it is not clear when IT employment will expand. Pricing pressure continues to restrain
earnings growth and, like other businesses in the District,
makers of IT products cite cost-cutting efforts and caution
regarding the outlook as reasons for holding employment
steady. In addition, District contacts report that some IT
sectors are in the process of restructuring, including shifting production and support functions offshore and permanently outsourcing specific tasks. In some cases this has
meant plant closures in District states.6

Employment growth remains lackluster
Payroll employment in the District was little changed in
May, leaving District payrolls for the first five months of
2002 up just 0.1% at an annual rate (Figure 5). In the rest
of the U.S., employment declined slightly (-0.3% at an annual rate) over the same period. The very modest job gains
likely understate output growth in the District. Reports from
Beige Book contacts indicate that producers remain reluctant to hire new workers despite increased demand, waiting
for signs of sustained recovery. Moreover, firms reportedly
are working hard to increase efficiency in order to improve
profits and remain competitive against increased import competition.
Within the District, only Hawaii, Nevada, and Oregon posted
positive job growth for the five months ending in May. While
job losses have attenuated relative to the fourth quarter in
the remaining District states, the picture still is one of weakness in employment growth.
The durable manufacturing, construction, and transportation, communications, and public utilities (TCPU) sectors
continued to shed jobs in May. Payroll reductions in high5 At its peak in May 2000, capacity utilization hovered near 88%. Over the
1990s expansion, capacity utilization averaged 82% among high-tech
manufacturers.
6 Three plants making printers, laptops, and flat screens reportedly closed
in Oregon in recent months.

4

Figure 5:Total nonagricultural employment
(annualized percent change)
8
2001: Q4
6

NV

2002: through May

4

HI

2
US - 12th

AK

AZ

CA

ID

OR

UT

WA

0
-2
12th
-4
-6
-8
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

tech manufacturing and aerospace depressed job growth in
durable manufacturing. Job losses in construction owed to
a number of factors including the end of Olympics-related
building in Utah, weakness in commercial office markets
throughout the District, and slowing in public works
projects funded by state government. TCPU employment
reductions were broad-based, occurring in air transportation, railroads, trucking and warehousing, and communications. Water transportation employment fell in Washington
but rose rapidly in California.
Job cuts also were recorded in the finance, insurance, and
real estate sectors and in business services, which likely
will put additional pressure on already weakened commercial real estate markets. More detailed data for California
and Washington indicate that job cuts among computer and
data processing firms continued to be a drag on business
services employment. As in past months, positive job growth
was limited to consumer-based sectors including trade and
personal services.
Average unemployment in the District was 6.2% in May,
down 0.1 percentage point since December. Within the District, unemployment rates have fallen in seven of nine states
since the end of 2001. The stability of the unemployment
rate in part reflects a divergence in the household employment series (used to calculate the unemployment rate) and
the payroll employment series, with the household series
showing faster employment growth.
Contributions by Mary Daly, Financial and Regional Studies,
Economic Research Department, FRBSF

Western Economic Developments
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

June 2002

High-tech Watch
IT share of District employment and payroll

Business investment in technology products by U.S. firms
(percentage change in quarterly values)

Employment
Payroll

U.S. - 12th
12th

50
40

AK

30

AZ

Year-over-year

CA

20

HI

10

ID
NV

0

OR

-10

UT

3 months prior*

-20

WA
0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Percent share
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

-30
Mar-98

Mar-99

Mar-00

Mar-01

Mar-02
*Annualized values

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Monthly semiconductor sales by U.S. firms
(percent change in 3-month moving averages)

Shipments of computers and related products by U.S. firms
(percent change in 3-month moving averages)
60

120
100

3 months prior*

3 months prior*

40

80

Year-over-year

60

Year-over-year

20

40

0

20
0

-20

-20
-40

-40

-60

-60

-80
Apr-97

Apr-98

Apr-99

Apr-00

Apr-01

Apr-02

*Annualized values

Source: Semiconductor Industry Association.

Shipments of communications equipment by U.S. firms
(percent change in 3-month moving averages)
80

Apr-98

30
25

60

Apr-00

Apr-01

Apr-02
*Annualized values

High-tech job growth
(percent change over year earlier)
Computer & Data
Processing Services (WA)

20
3 months prior*

15

40

Communications Equipment (CA)

10

Year-over-year
20

5

0

0
-5

-20

-10
-40

Electronic Components
& Accessories (CA)

-15

Computer & Office
Equipment (CA, OR, WA)

-20

-60
Apr-98

Apr-99

Source: Bureau of the Census.

Apr-99

Source: Bureau of the Census.

Apr-00

Apr-01

Apr-02
*Annualized values

May-98

May-99

May-00

May-01

May-02

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Western Economic Developments
June 2002

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

5

STATE HIGHLIGHTS
Alaska • Oregon • Washington
Nonagricultural payroll employment by state
(percent change over year earlier)

Nonagricultural payroll employment by MSA
(percent change over year earlier)

4

6
WA

5

3

U.S.

Anchorage

4
AK

3

2

2
OR

1

1
Portland-Vancouver

0
0

-1
-2

-1

-3
-4

-2

-5
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett

-3

-6

May-98

May-99

May-00

May-01

May-02

Apr-98

Apr-99

Apr-00

Apr-01

Apr-02

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Employment by Industry
"MBTLB

Total Employed
(thousands)
May-02

Total
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
T.C.P.U.
Trade
F.I.R.E.
Services
Government

a

1-mo.

Percent Change
a
a
3-mo.
YTD

12-mo.

291.0
10.5
14.9
12.2
27.9
58.6
12.9
74.4
79.6

1.7
-10.8
-21.3
65.2
-12.0
4.2
-8.9
12.0
-3.0

-2.4
0.0
-2.6
-31.3
-4.2
-3.3
3.2
2.7
-1.5

-0.3
2.3
1.6
-17.2
-1.7
-0.8
0.0
2.3
0.3

0.8
-11.0
1.4
-6.9
-0.4
1.2
0.8
2.8
2.2

1,581.2
1.6
73.0
225.9
77.8
390.2
95.9
444.8
272.0

3.6
0.0
-22.9
11.3
8.0
3.1
2.5
3.9
5.0

0.9
0.0
-8.3
2.9
-4.5
3.3
-0.8
0.4
1.6

0.2
-13.5
-5.1
-2.6
-0.6
1.4
1.8
0.0
2.2

-1.4
-11.1
-9.3
-5.4
-2.4
-0.3
1.4
-0.6
0.8

8BTIJOHUPO

Total
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
T.C.P.U.
Trade
F.I.R.E.
Services
Government

0SFHPO
Total
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
T.C.P.U.
Trade
F.I.R.E.
Services
Government

Total Employed
(thousands)
May-02
2,650.5
3.1
144.2
314.2
137.4
624.6
143.7
766.9
516.4

a

1-mo.
1.0
48.2
19.2
1.9
-5.1
-3.6
-3.3
3.7
0.2

Percent Change
a
a
3-mo.
YTD
-1.3
-11.9
-3.3
-2.0
-9.3
-2.0
-2.2
0.3
0.7

12-mo.

-0.5
-7.3
-3.6
-4.9
-6.0
0.1
-0.3
0.8
2.4

-2.2
-8.8
-7.9
-8.2
-7.5
-2.1
2.8
-1.6
2.5

6OFNQMPZNFOU3BUFT 
May-02

Apr-02

Mar-02

Feb-02

May-01

Alaska
Oregon
Washington

6.0
7.3
7.1

6.6
7.5
7.2

6.3
7.9
6.8

5.7
8.1
7.0

6.3
6.0
6.1

U.S.

5.8

6.0

5.7

5.5

4.4

Unemployment rates are from the household employment survey; all other data are for nonagricultural payroll employment. All data are seasonally adjusted.
Annualized.

a

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

6

Western Economic Developments
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

June 2002

Residential permits—April 2002
3-mo. average
number
Alaska
Oregon
Washington

Metro area office vacancy rates

Moving average
percent change
12-mo.a
3-mo.a

262.5
1,818.4
3,127.9

-6.2
8.5
4.1

27.5
3.1
-10.7

Percent
18
16
14
12

Source: Bureau of the Census.

Non-residential construction awards—April 2002
Moving average
percent change
12-mo.a
3-mo.a

3-mo. average
$ millions
Alaska
Oregon
Washington
a

58.6
168.9
213.6

21.7
29.2
-41.4

2.4
-14.3
-32.5

Portland

10
8
6

Seattle

4
2
0
Mar-98

Underlying data are seasonally adjusted moving averages.

Mar-99

Mar-00

Mar-01

Mar-02

Source: Torto Wheaton Research.

Source: F.W. Dodge.

Sales of existing homes
(percent change over year earlier)

Percent

25

80

20

Portland

WA
60

15

Seattle

40

10
OR

5

20

0

0

-5

-20

-10

-40

-15
Mar-98

Metro area office net rents
(percent change over year earlier)

-60
Mar-99

Mar-00

Mar-01

Mar-02

Source: National Association of Realtors.

Mar-98

Mar-99

Mar-00

Mar-01

Mar-02

Source: Torto Wheaton Research.

Export update

Home price index
(percent change over year earlier)
12
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett

12 - month
Percent Change

$ billions

10

2001

April*

2000

2001

April*

Alaska

2.4

0.8

-5.6

-2.0

4.0

4

Oregon

8.0

2.7

6.6

-24.0

-6.2

2

Washington

33.9

11.2

-13.1

8.5

-7.4

8
6
Portland-Vancouver

* Indicate year-to-date values.

0
Mar-98

Mar-99

Mar-00

Source: Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.

Mar-01

Mar-02
Source: Census FT900 Supplement, Origin of Movement Series.

Western Economic Developments
June 2002

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

7

STATE HIGHLIGHTS
Arizona • California • Hawaii
Nonagricultural payroll employment by state
(percent change over year earlier)

Nonagricultural payroll employment by MSA
(percent change over year earlier)

6

7
AZ

Phoenix

5

SF Bay Area

5

4

CA

3

3

2
1
U.S.

1
0

LA-Long Beach

-1
Honolulu

HI

-1

-3

-2
-3

-5

May-98

May-99

May-00

May-01

May-02

Apr-98

Apr-99

Apr-00

Apr-01

Apr-02

Percent Change
a
a
3-mo.
YTD

12-mo.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Employment by Industry
"SJ[POB

Total Employed
(thousands)
May-02

Total
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
T.C.P.U.
Trade
F.I.R.E.
Services
Government

a

1-mo.

Percent Change
a
a
3-mo.
YTD

12-mo.

2,239.6
9.0
156.2
195.2
106.1
537.0
149.3
710.5
376.3

-2.0
31.0
-3.8
-4.2
3.5
-0.4
-10.6
9.0
-18.8

-0.5
9.4
0.5
-2.0
-3.7
1.6
-4.2
3.2
-7.4

-0.8
-2.6
-5.9
-8.2
-4.8
0.8
-3.1
3.9
-3.2

-1.3
-5.3
-6.7
-8.1
-5.5
0.9
-0.9
-0.1
0.8

551.0
.
25.1
17.7
38.8
132.8
33.1
184.0
119.5

14.5
.
15.5
-6.5
0.0
1.8
11.5
-2.6
83.6

2.7

2.4

13.8
4.7
3.2
0.6
1.2
0.0
7.3

.
11.4
0.0
3.2
0.7
2.2
0.7
5.6

-0.7
.
5.0
-2.2
-10.4
-3.6
1.2
-1.6
6.6

$BMJGPSOJB

Total
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
T.C.P.U.
Trade
F.I.R.E.
Services
Government

)BXBJJ
Total
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
T.C.P.U.
Trade
F.I.R.E.
Services
Government

Total Employed
(thousands)
May-02
14,658.7
23.5
754.7
1,825.8
723.2
3,361.2
845.7
4,682.2
2,442.4

a

1-mo.
-0.7
0.0
-14.1
-3.2
-1.6
-0.6
-1.7
1.9
1.2

-0.2
-8.1
-8.1
-2.9
-4.4
1.0
-1.3
1.2
2.1

0.0
-5.9
-2.0
-2.3
-3.7
1.8
-1.5
-0.2
2.3

-0.3
-2.1
-2.1
-5.0
-4.5
0.8
0.6
-0.2
3.0

6OFNQMPZNFOU3BUFT 
.

Arizona
Hawaii
U.S.

California

May-02

Apr-02

Mar-02

Feb-02

May-01

5.7
4.2
5.8

5.7
4.3
6.0

5.9
4.6
5.7

6.0
4.7
5.5

4.4
4.3
4.4

May-02
6.3

Apr-02
6.5

Feb-02
6.2

May-01
5.1

Mar-02
6.5

Unemployment rates are from the household employment survey; all other data are for nonagricultural payroll employment. All data are seasonally adjusted.
Annualized.

a

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

8

Western Economic Developments
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

June 2002

Residential permits—April 2002
3-mo. average
number
Arizona
California
Hawaii

Metro area office vacancy rates

Moving average
percent change
12-mo.a
3-mo.a

4,655.4
13,053.4
391.4

8.2
10.7
22.3

-4.2
-4.7
2.1

Source: Bureau of the Census.

18

Honolulu

14
12
10

Moving average
percent change
12-mo.a
3-mo.a

8

$ millions
Arizona
California
Hawaii

Los Angeles Area

16

Non-residential construction awards—April 2002
3-mo. average

a

Percent
20

214.3
1,257.2
25.5

-4.3
-0.3
-58.5

-23.7
-15.7
25.1

Underlying data are seasonally adjusted moving averages.

Phoenix

San Francisco

6
4
2
0
Mar-98

Mar-99

Mar-00

Mar-01

Mar-02

Source: Torto Wheaton Research.

Source: F.W. Dodge.

Metro area office net rents
(percent change over year earlier)

Sales of existing homes
(percent change over year earlier)

Percent

40

90

HI

30

70

San Francisco

50

Los Angeles Area

20
30

AZ
10

10
-10

0
-30

CA

Phoenix
-50

-10
Mar-98

Mar-99

Mar-00

Mar-01

Mar-02

Source: National Association of Realtors.

Mar-98

Mar-99

Mar-00

Mar-01

Mar-02

Source: Torto Wheaton Research.

Export update

Home price index
(percent change over year earlier)
30
25

San Francisco

2001

April*

2000

2001

April*

Arizona

11.1

3.3

19.0

-15.6

-19.1

California

90.7

25.5

19.5

-10.2

-23.9

Hawaii

0.3

0.1

33.4

8.8

-50.5

20
Los AngelesLong Beach

15

12 - month
Percent Change

$ billions

10
5
0
-5

Phoenix-Mesa

Honolulu

* Indicate year-to-date values.

-10
Mar-98

Mar-99

Mar-00

Source: Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.

Mar-01

Mar-02
Source: Census FT900 Supplement, Origin of Movement Series.

Western Economic Developments
June 2002

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

9

STATE HIGHLIGHTS
Idaho • Nevada • Utah
Nonagricultural payroll employment by state
(percent change over year earlier)

Nonagricultural payroll employment by MSA
(percent change over year earlier)
10

8

Las Vegas
7

NV

8
6
5

6
ID

4

Boise

3

4

UT

2

2

1

U.S.

0

0

-1

-2

-2
-3

Salt Lake City

-4

May-98

May-99

May-00

May-01

May-02

Apr-98

Apr-99

Apr-00

Apr-01

Apr-02

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Employment by Industry
Total Employed
(thousands)
May-02

a

1-mo.

Percent Change
a
a
3-mo.
YTD

Total Employed
(thousands)
May-02

12-mo.

*EBIP

a

1-mo.

Percent Change
a
a
3-mo.
YTD

12-mo.

6UBI

Total
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
T.C.P.U.
Trade
F.I.R.E.
Services
Government

567.3
1.9
35.5
71.0
27.6
139.8
24.6
153.2
113.7

-5.1
279.9
-12.6
-6.5
-8.3
-6.6
-4.8
-6.8
1.1

-1.4
56.0
-4.4
-3.8
0.0
-0.6
0.0
-3.6
1.8

-0.7
30.6
-11.2
-5.2
-1.7
0.7
-1.0
0.0
3.2

-0.7
-13.6
-6.3
-6.8
-2.1
-1.6
2.5
2.1
3.0

1,073.0
9.1
93.0
45.9
57.3
227.6
51.3
458.5
130.3

5.1
0.0
10.9
0.0
11.1
1.1
4.8
3.7
12.8

4.8
-4.3
7.2
0.9
4.3
5.5
5.6
4.6
4.7

5.4
-12.0
7.9
1.1
3.4
6.3
5.8
5.9
4.2

1.5
-10.8
4.0
-1.7
-3.5
3.1
4.5
0.6
3.4

Total
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
T.C.P.U.
Trade
F.I.R.E.
Services
Government

/FWBEB

Total
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
T.C.P.U.
Trade
F.I.R.E.
Services
Government

1,067.0
7.7
63.1
119.5
58.5
247.6
59.7
319.5
191.4

-2.4
0.0
-27.3
-4.9
-4.0
-4.3
-2.0
2.3
3.8

-4.7
0.0
-7.3
-7.6
-7.8
-5.5
-3.9
-5.7
1.5

-1.5
0.0
-24.1
-6.7
0.4
0.2
-1.6
4.1
-0.9

-1.7
-2.5
-10.1
-6.3
-4.1
-1.9
-0.2
0.9
1.1

6OFNQMPZNFOU3BUFT 

May-02

Apr-02

Mar-02

Feb-02

May-01

Idaho
Nevada
Utah

5.0
5.5
5.3

5.2
5.5
5.8

5.5
5.8
6.0

5.5
6.1
5.5

4.9
4.8
4.1

U.S.

5.8

6

5.7

5.5

4.4

Unemployment rates are from the household employment survey; all other data are for nonagricultural payroll employment. All data are seasonally adjusted.
Annualized.

a

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

10

Western Economic Developments
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

June 2002

Residential permits—April 2002
3-mo. average
number
Idaho
Nevada
Utah

919.1
2,380.7
1,500.3

Metro area office vacancy rates

Moving average
percent change
12-mo.a
3-mo.a
5.8
-8.6
-0.4

Percent
20

-2.7
-9.3
4.9

18

14

Source: Bureau of the Census.

12

Non-residential construction awards—April 2002

10

Moving average
percent change
12-mo.a
3-mo.a

8

3-mo. average
$ millions
Idaho
Nevada
Utah
a

Las Vegas

16

47.6
128.8
120.9

-3.6
-40.5
-15.6

Salt Lake City

6
4

-16.3
7.1
-4.5

2
0
Mar-98

Underlying data are seasonally adjusted moving averages.

Mar-99

Mar-00

Mar-01

Mar-02

Source: Torto Wheaton Research.

Source: F.W. Dodge.

Sales of existing homes
(percent change over year earlier)

40

Percent
35

NV

30

Metro area office net rents
(percent change over year earlier)

30
25

20

Salt Lake City

20
15

UT

10

10
5

0

0
-5
Las Vegas

-10

-10
ID

-15
-20

-20
Mar-98

Mar-99

Mar-00

Mar-01

Mar-02

Source: National Association of Realtors.

Mar-98

Mar-99

Mar-00

Mar-01

Mar-02

Source: Torto Wheaton Research.

Export update

Home price index
(percent change over year earlier)
10
8

12 - month
Percent Change

$ billions

Las Vegas
Salt Lake City

2001

April*

2000

2001

April*

6
Boise
4

Idaho

1.9

0.5

53.6

-41.7

-35.5

2

Nevada

1.1

0.3

21.8

13.9

-11.3

0

Utah

3.4

1.4

1.7

9.3

22.0

* Indicate year-to-date values.

-2
Mar-98

Mar-99

Mar-00

Source: Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.

Mar-01

Mar-02
Source: Census FT900 Supplement, Origin of Movement Series.

Western Economic Developments
June 2002

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

11

2002 Issues
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Four additional updates to statistical charts are available online during interim
periods at http://www.frbsf.org/publications/economics/wed/index.html.

Western Economic Developments is produced quarterly by the Financial and Regional Studies Section of the Economic Research Department of the Federal Reserve
Bank of San Francisco. The publication is managed by Mary Daly and edited by Anita Todd with contributions by Fred Furlong, Lily Hsueh, Christel Magalong,
and Jackie Yuen of the Economic Research Department. The analyses represent the views of the staff and do not reflect the official views of the senior bank
management of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco or the Federal Reserve System. Western Economic Developments is distributed by the Public Information
Department, (415) 974-3230. This publication is available on our website, http://www.frbsf.org.

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