Employment up, compared to '03

Employment in Greater Cincinnati was up 2 percent in January compared to a year earlier, and the recovery in jobs here over the past two years "was stronger than originally reported," according to new labor data from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. The local economy has created 19,300 jobs since last January, with retailing, health and leisure showing the biggest gains. Statewide, unemployment in January was 6.2 percent, up from 6.0 in 2003.

Cintas, P&G, 5/3 'most admired'

Cintas, Procter & Gamble and Fifth Third Bancorp ranked as the most admired companies in their industries in Fortune magazine's 2004 ranking, in the magazine's March 8 issue. A Fortune consultant asked 10,000 business leaders to rate the top 10 companies by revenue in 64 industries on eight attributes. P&G, No. 1 in the household and personal goods sector, scored in the top three in five categories: innovation, employee talent, quality of management, use of corporate assets and quality of products. Other categories were financial soundness, long-term investment and social responsibility. Cintas was No. 1 in diversified outsourcing; Convergys was second. Fifth Third was first in superregional banks; Cinergy, second in energy; E.W. Scripps, fourth in publishing; Kroger, fifth in food and drugstores; Federated Department Stores, seventh among general merchandisers; AK Steel, eighth in metals.

Federated raises stock-buy program

Federated Department Stores Inc. has increased its stock repurchase program by $750 million. About 16 million shares were bought back last year for $645 million, the retailer said Friday.

Staff/wire reports