The highest general fund balance in Illinois history, $522 million, was reported by the comptroller's office for July. This is only the third time in the state's financial history that the general funds have climbed past $500 million. The average daily available balance in general funds was $534 million. The balance for combined funds at the end of July was $683 miliion .... The maximum lawful interest rate for residential real estate in August was 10% percent.... The seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rates for May, June and July were: May, 5.6 percent; June, 5.2 percent; July, 4.6 percent. The final May and preliminary June unemployment rates in Illinois' major cities were: Bloomington-Normal, final rate in May, 3.6 percent, preliminary June rate, 4.7 percent; Champaign-Urbana, 3.5 percent, 5.1 percent; Chicago, 4.6 percent, 5.7 percent; Illinois section of Davenport, Rock Island, Moline, 3.8 percent, 4.8 percent; Decatur, 5.1 percent, 6.8 percent; Kankakee, 7.4 percent, 9.8 percent; Peoria, 4.2 percent, 5.3 percent; Rockford, 4.1 percent, 5.6 percent; Springfield, 4.7 percent, 6.2 percent; Illinois section of St. Louis, 5,3 percent, 7.3 percent.

Illinois Issues 29