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Engineers, machinists and skilled trade workers are among the nation's most challenging positions to fill, according to survey findings released by Manpower Inc.

The uncertain outlook for growth and inflation as well as improvements to financial supervision in the EU and the strong euro were key issues discussed by European Central Bank Vice-President Lucas Papademos when he presented the ECB's annual report to the Economics Committee on Monday.

The European Commission has presented to the European Parliament its regular report on the openness of the European market to imports from developing countries. The report sets out how the EU has continued in 2007 to use its trade policy to advance a pro-development agenda and analyses the relevant data for which the most recent available is for the period up to the end of 2006. The report shows that the EU continues to offer market access for developing country exports that is unmatched by any other major economy. EU imports from developing countries rose 16% in 2006 from 2005 and by 14% if imports from China are excluded. According to the WTO, overall global merchandise trade grew by around 8% over the same period.

United States IPO (initial public offering) activity in 2007 was the highest since 2000. During 2007, 296 IPOs generated $65.1 billion in proceeds compared to 236 IPOs that raised $49.9 billion in 2006. The turbulence in the credit markets did not hinder IPO activity in the latter half of 2007. In fact, the fourth quarter, with 101 IPOs, was the most active quarter in terms of IPO volume in the last eight years.

According to the latest revisions, the EU27 external current account recorded a deficit of 2.8 billion euro in the fourth quarter of 2007, compared with a deficit of 13.4 bn in the fourth quarter of 2006 and a deficit of 21.2 bn in the third quarter of 2007.

Manpower Inc. released the results of its third annual talent shortage survey, revealing that 31 percent of employers across the globe are finding it more difficult to fill jobs. The top three candidates most in-demand are: skilled manual trades, sales representatives and technicians (which are technical workers in the areas of production/operations, engineering and maintenance).

OECD governments could boost economic growth and help create jobs if local agencies and authorities had more power and autonomy to adjust employment and training programmes to meet local needs, concluded OECD employment ministers attending a high level conference in Venice, Italy, on 17-18 April.

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally higher in March. Overall, 36 states and the District of Columbia recorded over-the-month unemployment rate increases, 5 states registered decreases, and 9 states had no change, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported.

Inflation and growth dominated the news this week, a welcome relief perhaps from unrelenting focus on financial markets. Once more, the evidence makes it clear that weak domestic economic conditions are not relieving inflationary pressure.

Bankrate, Inc. released the findings of a national poll which found that 8 out of 10 Americans are concerned about their identity being stolen. Furthermore, over one-third (34%) of Americans know someone who has been a victim of identity theft.