Employers in California will likely do slightly less hiring during the third quarter than they have been, according to a quarterly report released Wednesday.

The report, from the A. Gary Anderson Center for Economic Research at Chapman University in Orange, shows a modest decline in the leading employment indicator series to 124.7 in the third quarter from 126.8 in the second quarter. That suggests the pace of California’s job creation in the third quarter should remain at, or slightly below, the 1.5 percent growth rate reported during the second quarter.

Still, job creation remains robust, as the indicator series has now remained over 100 for 12 consecutive quarters. A year ago, in the third quarter of 2005, the indicator stood at 122, down from a high of 135 in the third quarter of 2004.

The Chapman index tracks movements in U.S. gross domestic product, exports, the Standard & Poor’s 500 and the state’s total construction spending.