Rising costs for housing food and clothing all contributed to another increase in inflation the government's February inflation report released earlier today showed consumer prices are up six percent in the past 12 months that means inflation is still elevated but it is coming down from the higher levels we saw last year one reason for that is a big drop in Energy prices meta the parent company of Facebook announced plans to lay off another ten thousand workers on top of the 11 000 workers had cut a few months ago this is just the latest high-profile corporate layoff announcement but in New Jersey at least the job market continues to hold up in fact the Garden State experienced higher job growth in the past two years than first reported updated data from the federal government shows 395 000 new jobs were created in New Jersey in the past two years that's thirty four thousand more than first estimated the state will soon begin accepting Grant applications from companies and other groups seeking to provide apprenticeships for New Jersey workers four million dollars is available through the gains grant program which funds apprenticeships in non-traditional Fields Labor Commissioner Robert asaro Angelo says the program has provided opportunities for minorities two-thirds of our apprentices and our gains programs are women of people of color which is double uh the regular average for apprenticeship programs uh so we've been very uh focused on that uh in the way that we write these grants uh and our opportunities for funding finally tonight uh who's who a business non-profit and government leaders are gathering in Atlantic City for the renewed New Jersey business Summit hosted by the State Chamber of Commerce the event draws several hundred attendees there to discuss the outlook for New Jersey businesses and the economy now here's a look at today's trading on Wall Street I'm Rhonda schapler and those are your top business stories support for the business report provided by New Jersey American Water we keep life flowing online at new jerseyam.com