skilled labor

New forecasts show that the worst may be over for the construction industry, which was hit harder by the Great Recession than any other sector, as construction projects slowly resume. Some 27% of construction firms say they plan to add staff this year, while only 20% plan to cut jobs.

Employers who used job cuts to save money during the economic crisis knew that layoffs would put strains on the workers who remained. But now, those cost-cutting measures are impairing their ability to attract the top talent they'll need to rebound in the current sluggish economy.

Here's news from the business world and other money matters to watch out for Thursday (last updated at 7:30 a.m. Eastern time): Americans Owe Less Credit-Card Debt: Skittish consumers reduced their credit-card indebtedness sharply in the second quarter, credit-rating company TransUnion reported...