[Wyatt's Torch]

Here are the facts on Initial Claims. The average for the last 45 years is 363,000. Currently the 4WMA is 334,000 so this job environment is actually BETTER than average from an initial claims standpoint.

I've made countless comments in these economic threads about the anemic rate of growth. But there is growth. It is well below average for an economic recovery due to the stifling regulation from the Obama administration.

Nevertheless corporate profits are at record highs:

It could be better sure. But it has been a positive environment despite the government/regulation headwinds.

[traderrob6]

You give only half the picture which makes all your conclusions on which it is based false.

Your graph is meaningless without taking into consideration job growth which has averaged 2 million created per year for the 40 years prior to 2008.

A job creation of 113,000/mon for a year would be 32% LESS jobs created than the historical average. That looms huge and an average unemployment claim number in the context of this employment figure bodes definitively ominous.

[Justa]

"The average for the last 45 years is 363,000. Currently the 4WMA is 334,000 so this job environment is actually BETTER than average from an initial claims standpoint."

So you're saying the labor force has been the same for the last 45 years?

The better indicator of economic strength is the labor force participation rate.

I hope you're not a beliver in funemployment.

[fhayek]

I question your upbeat assessment for jobless claims. The average, through all economies is 363,000, but that includes some nasty weeks in the 600,000's. I bet that the average weekly initial jobless claims in growing economies is considerably lower than that.