ATLANTA-Overall leasing activity in metro Atlanta has still not shifted out of low gear and the volume of office rental transactions recorded so far this year has been clocking in at a laggardly pace. So says Jones Lang LaSalle’s latest Office Highlights report for the second quarter.

JLL reports that leasing volume was down just slightly from first quarter with 2.9 million square feet of activity signed for in the second quarter. And while tour activity is up from where it was in 2010 and early 2011, JLL’s research shows the tenant pipeline for activity that would bring net new growth to Atlanta remains lackluster.

“Because of Atlanta’s highly diversified tenant base, the city cannot rely on any one job sector to spawn employment growth as in some markets like Texas, where leasing has been bolstered by big energy or Silicon Valley with its unending high-tech boom,” the report says. “While today’s deals are not being done with the record concessionary fire sale pricing seen just a few years ago, most of the metro’s best addresses can still be had at a discount.”