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US Unemployment Aid Applications Surge to 368,000
ABC News ^ | December 12, 2013 | JOSH BOAK

Posted on 12/12/2013 3:59:13 PM PST by Son House

The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits rose 68,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 368,000, the largest increase in more than a year.

The surge in first-time applications could be a troubling sign if it lasts. But it likely reflects the difficulty adjusting for delays after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Economists will track the next few weeks closely to see if that trend is reversing, or if the surge is a temporary blip caused by seasonal adjustments.

The recent drop in layoffs has coincided with a pickup in hiring. The economy has added an average of 204,000 jobs a month from August through November, up from an average of 146,000 in May through July.

A healthier job market could make the Federal Reserve scale back its extraordinary economic stimulus programs. The Fed has been buying $85 billion in bonds each month to keep long-term interest rates low and encourage borrowing and spending.

More than 3.8 million people collected some form of unemployment benefits in the last full week of November.

(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aid; applications; economy; jobless; jobs; layoffs; unemployment
But it likely reflects the difficulty adjusting for delays after the Thanksgiving holiday.

"But", why make excuses for the Democrat's Economic Policies not working, i.e. the Democrat stimulus bill, cash for clunker, mortgage assistance, student loans...ect, House Minority Leader Pelosi bragged about them. And give me the name of 1 economically astute Elected Democrat? And it can't obviously be one that voted for the health care bill, that was poor judgement and a bad decision at best.

I suggest the author go ask an elected Democrat why there is a "surge in first-time applications"? It's been 5 years, not including the previous 2 years they had control of the House and Senate.(Being they were so fast to associate last weeks numbers with a trend of economic improvement)

1 posted on 12/12/2013 3:59:13 PM PST by Son House
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To: Son House
"The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits rose 68,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 368,000..."

That's weekly. A month of that would add up to nearly 1 1/2 million jobs lost.

"The economy has added an average of 204,000 jobs a month from August through November..."

That's monthly.


2 posted on 12/12/2013 5:21:34 PM PST by familyop (We Baby Boomers are croaking in an avalanche of corruption smelled around the planet.)
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To: familyop

“Seasonal adjustments” are, of course, referring to Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Summer (Dog Days), Easter, Christmas, Post-Holiday, Pre-Thanksgiving, Pre-Christmas, Memorial Day Weekend, Hanukkah... and, the most crucial adjustment season...

“Election Season”!!!


3 posted on 12/12/2013 5:34:47 PM PST by The Antiyuppie ("When small men cast long shadows, then it is very late in the day.")
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To: Son House

This is so totally . . . unexpected.


4 posted on 12/12/2013 6:10:10 PM PST by madprof98
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To: Son House

Seasonally Adjusted? You know, that is the time that retailers layoff extra people during the holidays. Oh wait, they don’t?


5 posted on 12/12/2013 8:02:05 PM PST by kempster
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To: Son House

No problem. The Obama regime will just adjust the number of people eligible to work so that the unemployment number stays the same. They are despicable.


6 posted on 12/24/2013 1:45:17 PM PST by FreeAtlanta (Liberty or Big Government - you can't have both.)
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