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Hawaii’s unemployment rate, which has held steady at 2.7 percent for three straight months, fell slightly among all the states and is now the third lowest in the country.
Colorado’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate was 2.3 percent in May with North Dakota second at 2.5 percent, according to data released Friday by the U.S. Department of Labor. Hawaii’s unemployment rate was announced Thursday by the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Hawaii previously was tied for second lowest.
Alaska’s unemployment rate of 6.7 percent was the nation’s highest, followed by New Mexico at 6.6 percent.
Bank of Japan keeps policy steady
TOKYO >> The Bank of Japan opted Friday to keep its lax monetary policy intact, while noting signs of improvement in the world’s third-largest economy.
A statement issued by the central bank said it expects demand to accelerate, supporting a “moderate expansion.” The central bank’s key interest rate remains at minus 0.1 percent.
While the U.S. Federal Reserve is raising rates, Bank of Japan Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda appears determined to persist with a policy of “qualitative and quantitative easing” to help attain an inflation rate of about 2 percent.
The BOJ statement said inflation expectations in Japan remain in a “weakening phase,” suggesting major policy changes are unlikely in the near future.
ON THE MOVE
Servco Pacific Inc. has announced the following additions to its board of directors:
>> Dawn Lepore served as chairman and chief executive officer of Drugstore.com Inc. from 2004 up to its sale to Walgreens in 2011. She also has 21 years with Charles Schwab as chief information officer.
>> Chia-Lin Simmons is founder of machine learning and AI technology company LookyLoo, and previously headed the global partner marketing for Google Play. She was also vice president of marketing and content for Harman.
The William S. Richardson School of Law has appointed professor Melody Kapilialoha MacKenzie acting dean for the fall semester. She is stepping in for Dean Avi Soifer, who will be on professional development leave until December. MacKenzie is director of Ka Huli Ao Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law, a position she has held since 2005.
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