Tag Archives: Jobs

First-time claims for unemployment insurance fell 41,000 to 410,000 for the week ending November 17, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. Economists expected 415,000 initial claims filings.

In the first full week after the storm, initial claims shot up 78,000 to 439,000--the highest level since April 2011--for the week ending November 10, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Economists expected 376,000 initial claims filings.

First-time claims for unemployment insurance fell 8,000 to 363,000 for the week ended November 3, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Economists expected 370,000 initial claims filing. It was the third straight weekly decline and the fifth drop in the last seven weeks.

The number of housing markets across the country showing lasting improvement expanded by leaps and bounds in November, according to a report from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI) showed 125 markets demonstrating consistent improvement, up from the previous record high of 103 in October.

Last week's jobs report contained some good news with the bad, but analysts doubt there's enough to influence the presidential election.

Consumer confidence rose in October to its highest level this year, according to a survey released by The Conference Board.

The nation├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós unemployment rate inched up to 7.9 percent in October, even as the economy added 171,000 jobs, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. The labor force--the sum of employed and unemployed--improved in October, causing the bump in the unemployment rate and signaling renewed confidence among those on the sidelines that jobs are available. With its mixed results, the report provides fodder for both President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney four days before Election Day.

First-time claims for unemployment insurance fell 9,000 to 363,000 for the week ended October 27, the Labor Department reported Thursday. It was the second straight weekly decline and the fourth drop in the last six weeks. The initial claims report has been unusually volatile for the last month, with wide swings in the seasonal adjustment factors used by the Labor Department to "normalize" the data. The seasonal adjustment for next week's report will be "unfavorable," bumping first-time claims higher.

Consumer spending rose $87.9 billion, 0.8 percent, in September twice the 0.4 percent growth in personal income, $48.1 billion, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Monday. While the increase in income matched economist expectations, the increase in spending was higher than forecast. It was the third straight month spending grew faster than income, confirming last Friday's report showing a solid growth in Gross Domestic Product from 1.3 percent in the second quarter to 2.0 percent in the third.

First-time claims for unemployment insurance fell 23,000 to 369,000 for the week ended October 20, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Economists expected initial claims to fall to 372,000. The initial claims report has been unusually volatile for the last month with wide swings in the seasonal adjustment factors used by the Labor Department to "normalize" the data. However, the factor used for this week's report was virtually the same as the factor used a week ago, suggesting the sharp drop in claims reflects a truer reading of the labor market.