Saturation level: For the first time on record, the number of job openings in the United States exceeds the number of unemployed Americans. With employers struggling to fill openings, the number of available jobs in April rose 1% to 6.7 million from 6.6 million in March, the Labor Department said Tuesday. For comparison, in July 2009, as the Great Recession was officially ending, there were, on average, 6.7 unemployed people for each job. Now, that figure has fallen to just 0.95 jobless people per opening. The sharpest increase in job openings in April was in a category called professional and business services, which includes a range of occupations, from accountants, architects and engineers. See the full story.
Shuffling the roster: The 131-year-old Rawlings Sporting Goods Co., owned by Newell Brands Inc., is being sold to a private equity fund for about $395 million. Major League Baseball, which relies on Rawlings for its official game ball, is a co-investor in the acquisition. Read the full story.
In the dark: BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo has been closed temporarily due to a power outage and multiple downed trees throughout the park, BREC officials announced this afternoon. The damage was caused by severe weather that passed over the zoo at approximately 1 p.m. today. Zoo officials say they’re assessing the debris and working to clear it. The zoo will reopen once they’ve been able to fully inspect the property and ensure its safety.
