Economy slowdown in March

Economic activitiesthat have been on the rise in the Greater Los Angeles area in the past three months, have experienced a slight slowdown for March.

The Cal State Long Beach Office of Economic Research which tracks the region's economy Monday reported a 0.1 percent fall, for the month.

The report is jointly prepared by Peter Griffin and Lisa Grobar, associate professors of economics at the university.

Grobar said the reported one month fall in economic activities should not be a serious concern for May graduates.

"All other indications point towards a positive job market," she said.

Grobar said that the index will have to show a decline for three consecutive months to indicate any serious trouble for the economy.

March figures for the index was 96 percent, compared to 96.1 percent for February and 95.8 percent for March 1995.

The report tracks six components of economic activities in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Riverside and San Bernadino counties.

These include the average weekly initial claims for unemployment insurance; the number of business failures in the Los Angles area; the number of building permits issued; the index of regional stock prices; the index of Los Angeles Times help wanted adve rtising; and the U.S. Index of Leading Economic Indicators.

Only two of the six components, the index of regional stock prices and the U.S. Index of Leading Economic Indicators, showed improvements for the period.