SOUTHLAND : Jobless Figures Due

Is California continuing to gain new jobs? Analysts will get an update Friday, when federal and state officials release employment figures for July. This year, the state, after more than four years of job losses, began to show some modest improvement in employment. In fact, California reported a gain of 16,500 jobs in June, when the state’s jobless rate fell to 7.6% from 8.5% in May. Analysts noted, however, that statistical quirks probably inflated last month’s job gains across the country, and they are waiting to see what the latest figures will show. Data will also be released for Los Angeles County, whose ever-changing jobless rate rose to 7.4% in June after standing at 6.8% in April and May.