Jobless Claims Back on Track; Inflation Eases Off

CNBC.com ^ | 4/11/2013 | Reuters

[mykroar]

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, which could ease fears of a marked deterioration in labor market conditions after a surprise stumble in job growth in March.

Also in economic news, U.S. import prices fell in March as weak petroleum costs offset a spike in food prices, according to a government report that pointed to benign inflation pressures.

Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 42,000 to a seasonally adjusted 346,000, the Labor Department said on Thursday, unwinding the jump in the prior week related to difficulties adjusting the data for seasonal variations. That was the largest weekly drop since mid-November.

Claims are now back at the lower end of their range for this year. Data for the week ended March 30 was revised to show 3,000 more applications than previously reported.

[mykroar]

Today's smoke and mirrors.

[MrB]

Inflation hasn’t “eased off”. Our family’s food budget is a testament to that.

[ilovesarah2012]

Who you gonna believe? The government or your own receipts.

FUBO

[gov_bean_ counter]

Yes. Pay no attention to the fact that a pound package of cheese is now .8xxx for the same price. Or that the potato chip bag is only 1/3rd of the way filled up.

Better check that dozen egg carton. Before long you'll only get 11 for the price of 12. WHAT A DEAL!!!

[ClearCase_guy]

As for me, I plan to go out and buy a mansion and a yacht later today.

[yldstrk]

I have a bridge in Brooklyn I’d like to sell

[Luke21]

I bought a hamburger the other day. It cost me fifty cents more. I bought a soda. 50 cents more. These people are shameless liars.

[C210N]

Better check that dozen egg carton. Before long you'll only get 11 for the price of 12.

That there is an Inflation's Dozen. Defined in the dictionary just after Baker's Dozen.

[billhilly]

Their advice would be to buy half the hamburgers and half the sodas, get fit and get on the bandwagon.

[John W]

Happy Days Are Here Again! Rejoice!

[gov_bean_ counter]

I'm thinking more like

Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen...
or Old Man River...

[kabar]

I thought we were supposed to lose jobs due to sequestration.

[oh8eleven]

Inflation Eases Off
Really? Anyone shopped for men's dress shirts lately? Prices range from $50 to $75!
That's gotta' be 50% higher than just two or three years ago.

[mountainlion]

One in three have VD, about that many not working, so many people quit looking for work that even the phony unemployment numbers went down. We are in great shape according to Obama’s fuzzy math.

[Pollster1]

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, which could ease fears of a marked deterioration in labor market conditions

I imagine the people of Detroit are relieved to hear that, thanks to Obama, things will stay as they are and not deteriorate.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Hey kids! It’s Fun With Numbers Thursday!!!

[circlecity]

"The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell"

All this means is there are fewer people working to begin with. It doesn't mean the economy is improving at all.

[John W]

And from another story on the matter-—

The four-week moving average, which gives a better sense of the long-term trends, was 358,000, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week’s revised average of 355,000. This set of jobs numbers arrives after a substantial slowdown in jobs growth reported last Friday and consecutive increases in jobless claims in the last few weeks.

This story on TheStreet.com actually called the report mixed and concerning.

[circlecity]

And you can bet this will get revised up