Business briefly Jan. 30

Marketing group meeting on Wednesday

The Carson Area Marketing & PR Network will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Business Resource Innovation Center, 108 E. Proctor St. The meeting is free and will include an overview of mobile marketing by Kirsten Plemel.

CAMPN is an association of professional marketers, marketing communicators, and public relations executives who gather monthly to network and share marketing and public relations resources, ideas and tips.

For more information, visit www.campn.org or call Christel Hall at 775-267-9232.

Carson City company wins federal contract

Gnomon Inc. of Carson City won a federal contract worth $80,254 with the Bureau of Land Management. Gnomon specializes in geographic information system, cartographic, and information system services for resource management.

- Northern Nevada Business Weekly

Teen unemployment in Nevada is fifth highest

A preliminary analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by the Employment Policies Institute of Washington, D.C., shows that teen unemployment averaged 32.8 percent in Nevada in 2010.

That's the fifth highest in the country, and up from 31.5 percent in 2009.

In states like Nevada, teens contended with extra barriers to employment because of a 2010 increase in the state minimum wage.

"Last year, more than one in four Nevada teens were looking for work without success," said Michael Saltsman, research fellow at EPI. "This tough job market isn't just a product of the recession; minimum wage mandates are keeping teens out of work."

National home sales improve in December

Pending home sales improved further in December, marking the fifth gain in the past six months, according to the National Association of Realtors.

The Pending Home Sales Index increased 2 percent to 93.7 based on contracts signed in December from a downwardly revised 91.9 in November. The index is 4.2 percent below the 97.8 mark in December 2009. The data reflects contracts and not closings, which normally occur with a lag time of one or two months.

In the West the index fell 13.2 percent to 105.8 and is 10.7 percent below a year ago.

Lawrence Yun, the NAR's chief economist, credits good affordability conditions and economic improvement.

"Modest gains in the labor market and the improving economy are creating a more favorable backdrop for buyers, allowing them to take advantage of excellent housing affordability conditions. Mortgage rates should rise only modestly in the months ahead, so we'll continue to see a favorable environment for buyers with good credit," he said.

Economic indicators by the U.S. Commerce Department

Sales of new single-family homes in December 2010 were 329,000 at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, 17.5 percent above the revised November level, but 7.6 percent below their year-ago level.