The Conference Board's November Index of Help-Wanted Advertising rose to 39 from an unrevised level of 38 in October. A pattern of improvement in the labor market has emerged this year as the index's level has averaged 39 versus 38 for all of 2004.

During the last ten years there has been a 62% correlation between the level of help-wanted advertising and the three month change in non-farm payrolls.

The proportion of labor markets with rising want-ad volume ran counter to that improvement and fell in November to 47% from 65% in October which was near the year's high.

The Conference Board surveys help-wanted advertising volume in 51 major newspapers across the country every month.

The latest help wanted report from the Conference Board is available here.