Posted on 08/20/2015 7:09:30 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week, but the trend remained consistent with solid labor market momentum that could keep the Federal Reserve on track to raise interest rates this year.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted 277,000 for the week ended Aug. 15, the Labor Department said on Thursday.
Claims for the prior week were revised to show 1,000 fewer applications received than previously reported. Economists had forecast claims slipping to 272,000 last week. A Labor Department analyst said there were no special factors influencing the data and no states had been estimated.
Prices for U.S. Treasuries fell slightly after the data, while stock index futures were pointing to a lower open on Wall Street. The dollar dipped against a basket of currencies.
Minutes from the Fed's July 28-29 policy meeting published on Wednesday showed the U.S. central bank upbeat on improving labor market conditions, but worried about persistently tame inflation and a weak global economy.
Economists believe that policymakers' concerns about low price pressures have raised the bar for a September interest rate hike. Futures markets on Wednesday trimmed bets for monetary policy tightening next month.
The four-week moving average of claims, considered a better measure of labor market trends as it irons out week-to-week volatility, rose 5,500 to 271,500 last week.
It was the 21st straight week that the four-week average remained below the 300,000 threshold, which is usually associated with a strengthening labor market.
(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...
For something that’s been “improving” for 6+ years you’d think at some point it would reach a level better than “sucks.”
Now, back to throwing another book of statistics into the frog slow cooker.
“unexpectedly”
There’s that word again.
It looks to me like half a million Americans lost their jobs and filed for unemployment in the past two months. That seems....bad.
More people are unemployed which means that the labor market is improving. Only communists speaking to the unwashed masses would make statements that are that stupid. This regime is clueless about what is going on in America. They know more about Cecil the Lion’s pedigree than they know about the labor market.
The true numbers will come out just after the election, and Obama’s successor will get the blame.
Labor market still improving? This person is an idiot.
I want to know if they’re ‘recyling’ jobless people. At some point, you run out of ‘new’ people to become jobless.
Don't you mean "double-plus ungood?"
Gimme a break.
94,000,000 Americans are now without jobs.
A new all-time record.
“unexpectedly”
For crying out loud! How many years have they been using that “unexpectedly” BS?
Results to be revised next week showing a dramatic increase in the unemployed. Unexpected of course. They need to hire someone who can do basic arithmetic.
Wow, is it Thursday already?
After 6+ years of Obama, that word has become expected...
The true numbers will come out just after the election, and Obama’s successor will get the blame.
***************
Yes, the real numbers have unquestionably been suppressed, manipulated, and “seasoned” but we are nearing the end game. The Fed will start raising interest rates in earnest after the election. No doubt about that. The economic environment will be MADE very challenging for Obama’s successor. Its all part of the plan.
“I want to know if they’re ‘recyling’ jobless people. At some point, you run out of ‘new’ people to become jobless.”
Maybe they are using immigrants for the new jobless people. ‘Being the jobless people that Americans won’t be’...
After 6 1/2 years under water we are now just barely treading water, assuming you believe the government statistics.
One of the reasons I think a Republican will be our next President is people can sense the economic statistics are lies. People know this so called “recovery” has been a disaster. Even inner city blacks understand they’ve been misled.
My wife lost her job at the end of May. It took her into August to get hired. Just getting an interview was a big thing. The job market ain’t peaches and cream like this bunch of Pravda like goons are propagandizing.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.