The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas has published the first Fort Worth economic indicator, creating a standalone bimonthly data series for Fort Worth instead of combining the area with neighboring Dallas. The inaugural report showed that economic growth continued in May but slowed from the prior month, while unemployment was unchanged and housing demand weakened. Employment rose at an annualized 1.6 percent in May after 2.6 percent in April, and job growth over the three months through May was 3.4 percent. The unemployment rate held at 4.0 percent, compared with 4.3 percent for Texas, while average nominal hourly wages edged down to USD 37.23 but remained 3.4 percent above a year earlier. The report also highlighted Fort Worth's higher concentration of jobs in trade, transportation and utilities and in manufacturing than Dallas and Texas overall. In housing, the median home sales price was unchanged at USD 355,000 in May and was 0.6 percent lower than a year earlier. The Fort Worth publication becomes the ninth regional economic indicator issued by the Dallas Fed for Texas and the Eleventh District and is scheduled to be released bimonthly.