ECONOMY

Number of Employment Ads Grows: Help-wanted advertising in U.S. newspapers increased in March, a reflection of rising demand for workers in much of the country, the Conference Board business research group said. Its Help-Wanted Advertising Index, which measures the monthly volume of employment ads in 51 major newspaper markets, rose to 117, compared to 115 in February and 105 in January. A year ago, the index was at 96. “The labor market recovery is continuing,� Kenneth Goldstein, a Conference Board economist, said Thursday. The expansion in the economy is enough to “open up new jobs as well as encourage employers to step up their recruitment efforts,� he said. The increase in job advertising has coincided with a large increase in new jobs in recent months, the board said.