U.S. Jobless Claims Drop to Lowest Level Since 2006

WSJ ^ | 7/24/14 | SARAH PORTLOCK and ERIC MORATH

[SoFloFreeper]

New applications for unemployment benefits plunged last week, reaching an eight-and-a-half-year low and suggesting increasing strength in the labor market. Initial claims for jobless aid, a proxy for layoffs, fell by 19,000 to a seasonally adjusted 284,000 in the week ended July 19...

[SoFloFreeper]

Yawn. Obamanomics is a disaster. Epic.

[SoFloFreeper]

Funny to see the media, that sang Obama’s praises and refused to vett him, now talk about how Bush-era numbers are GOOD.

[Red Badger]

We’ve always been at war with Eastasia, Winston..................

[TexasCajun]

How far into the article does the WSJ support Amnesty?

[Red Badger]

OOH, That’s because to a lib, history started at breakfast this morning. ..............

[massmike]

Say......wasn’t 2006 the last year before the DEMOCRATS took both houses of congress and the job numbers REALLY tanked???????

[circlecity]

"suggesting increasing strength in the labor market"

Or it merely suggests that with the labor participation rate at record lows there just aren't that many jobs now to lose.

[TexasFreeper2009]

worst economy since the great depression is what we were told when Bush had these numbers!

[Wyatt's Torch]

Weekly numbers are volatile which is why most look at the 4 week moving average. The 4WMA is lowest since May 2007:

[Night Hides Not]

Or it merely suggests that with the labor participation rate at record lows there just aren't that many jobs now to lose.

Equilibrium in supply and demand has been achieved: there are sufficient productive employees at private companies, and baby-boomers have opted for early Social Security instead of a part-time job that pays peanuts. Or, they got fed up with the multiple interview process engineered by HR so they can keep their jobs.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

Here’s a quote which might be the clincher:

“The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred
to as involuntary part-time workers) increased by 275,000 in June to 7.5 million.”

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

[Night Hides Not]

I plan on becoming a part-time worker in two years. I'll start drawing my pension & early SS, and perform seasonal work as needed (tax return prep in the spring, other contract work as available). The rest of my time will be spent on "my boys": my youngest son will be entering HS, while my grandson will be heading to kindergarten.

I'll be also able to do some leisurely travel, to enjoy my latest hobby, wine tasting. While driving back from vacation, I drove by numerous vineyards in Utah that were located on the Colorado River...beautiful!

Oregon has several wine growing regions that produce excellent wines. We spent a few days in the Roseburg area (Umpqua Valley), which has two dozen wineries.

Who knows, maybe that will be my next career, i.e. working in the wine industry, in what capacity I have no idea. I lived on the Mosel for 4 years, recently took a wine course at the local CC, and gave a presentation on German wine to the class.

Sorry to hijack the thread.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

No problem.

I think there is something out of balance mid-month with these numbers.

Sounds like a good plan actually.

[Night Hides Not]

My "plan" started taking shape last year during vacation, a two-week road trip with my son. We did "guy-stuff": horseback riding in Monument Valley and Bryce Canyon, canyoneering outside of Zion NP, etc.

With my sister living in Reno, I've found places to stop and relax along the way: Tucumcari and Kanab, for example. This year's vacation took us up into southern Oregon.

So now, I dream about being able to just take off in September to visit her, head over to Napa or up to Oregon for winery visits. I haven't enjoyed flexibility like that since I was a bachelor.