Table 3.  Number of private sector establishments by direction of employment change, annual March to March

Professional and business services           

(In thousands)

                                   Establishments gaining jobs             Establishments losing jobs
Year ended    Net change(1)  Total     Expanding     Opening        Total    Contracting    Closing
                                   establishments  establishments          establishments  establishments

March 1994          29         336         212          124            266        171           95
March 1995          35         356         222          134            278        179           99
March 1996          33         366         226          140            297        190          107
March 1997          40         391         238          153            306        193          113
March 1998          32         406         250          156            322        198          124
March 1999          41         425         260          165            330        206          124
March 2000          21         425         265          160            356        217          139
March 2001           6         412         260          152            378        232          146
March 2002           0         402         242          160            415        255          160
March 2003           4         404         249          155            401        250          151
March 2004           5         419         264          155            390        240          150
March 2005           9         429         273          156            390        243          147
March 2006          31         465         290          175            389        245          144
March 2007          15         466         294          172            416        259          157
March 2008           9         461         290          171            436        274          162
March 2009         -29         407         245          162            512        321          191
March 2010         -28         402         245          157            485        300          185
March 2011          10         457         281          176            428        262          166
March 2012           7         472         296          176            427        258          169

(1) Net change is the difference between the number of opening establishments
    and the number of closing establishments.