Quikrete Industry Dashboard

Compared to a week ago, the Quikrete Industry Dashboard Stock Watch reveals that Wall Street has seen some improvements. Last week, there were 18 negative numbers on the annual or monthly basis grid. This week, that’s down to 11.

Moreover, three of the 10 ticker symbols are up for both the year and month: TSCO, BLDR and BECN.

Of course, the stock market continues to causing angst among investors. (Click here for the latest update for hardware and building supply stocks.)

Elsewhere on the latest version of the Dashboard, the national unemployment rate declined from a low 3.7 percent in August to an even lower 3.5 percent in September.

Friday morning’s report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed nonfarm payroll employment increased 263,000 in September.

In September, employment in construction continued to trend up (+19,000), in line with  average monthly job growth in the first 8 months of this year. Specialty trade contractors added 18,000 jobs in September.

Retail trade employment showed little change in September, according to the bureau.

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Coming next: The U.S. Census Bureau will report monthly retail sales on Oct. 14.