Free Republic

The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits tumbled to a 15-year low last week and consumer spending rose in March, signs the economy was regaining momentum after stumbling badly in the first quarter. The economic outlook was brightened further by another report on Thursday showing a solid increase in wages in the first quarter, which should keep the Federal Reserve on track to raise interest rates this year. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell 34,000 to a seasonally adjusted 262,000 for the week ended April 25, the lowest reading since April 2000, the Labor Department said....

The number of Americans seeking first-time unemployment benefits rose slightly last week, but remained consistent with an economy steadily adding jobs. Initial jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs across the U.S. economy, increased by 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 295,000 in the week ended April 18, the Labor Department said Thursday. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal expected 290,000 claims. Claims for the prior week were not revised. The claims reading had been volatile in recent months, but the figures are settling back near the lowest levels of the economic expansion. The four-week moving average of claims, which smooths...

New claims for US unemployment insurance benefits rose more than expected last week to their highest level in six weeks, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Initial jobless claims, a sign of the pace of layoffs, climbed to 294,000 in the week ending April 11, an increase of 12,000 from the prior week's slightly upwardly revised number. Analysts had expected claims would hold steady from the previous week. The four-week moving average, which helps to smooth week-over-week volatility, inched up by 250 to 282,750. A year ago the average was 316,000.

There were 281,000 first-time claims for unemployment for the week ending April 4, the Department of Labor reported Thursday. That was an increase from the previous week's revised 268,000 jobless claims, adjusted for seasonal fluctuations, but better than investors expected. The four-week moving average of claims, meanwhile, fell by 3,000 to 282,250. That average was the lowest since June of 2000, reflecting the ongoing improvement in the U.S. labor market. Low first-time claims for unemployment insurance benefits are viewed as a positive sign for the economy, as fewer layoffs generally indicate greater net hiring. Thursday's good news comes after Friday's...

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, suggesting the labor market continues to expand at a solid clip even as economic growth has stalled. Sustained labor market strength supports views that the sharp slowdown in activity is probably temporary. A host of factors ranging from bad weather to a strong dollar has sucked momentum from the economy in the first quarter. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 20,000 to a seasonally adjusted 268,000 for the week ended March 28, the Labor Department said on Thursday. That was the lowest level...

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose marginally last week, indicating the labor market remained on solid footing despite slowing economic growth. Output has slowed in the first quarter, undercut by a harsh winter, a strong dollar, weaker overseas growth and a now-settled labor dispute at West Coast ports, mostly transitory factors that should fade by the second quarter. The Federal Reserve on Wednesday acknowledged the moderation in growth, but maintained its upbeat view of the jobs market and signaled it was nearing an interest rate increase by dropping the reference to being "patient" from its...

New claims for US unemployment insurance fell last week after two weeks of gains amid severe winter weather, Labor Department data showed Thursday. Initial jobless claims fell 11 percent to 289,000 in the week ending March 7. The previous week's level was revised up by 5,000 to 325,000. "Harsher-than-usual winter weather likely boosted the level in the previous two weeks," said Jim O'Sullivan, chief US economist at High Frequency Economics, in a research note. "We doubt the underlying trend in claims has changed significantly. A sub-300K trend in claims implies continued strong employment growth and no let-up in the downtrend...

Initial jobless claims unexpectedly jumped to a nine-month high last week, an indication that severe winter weather could be putting a temporary freeze on the labor market's recovery. About 320,000 people filed for first-time unemployment benefits last week, up 7,000 from the previous week, the Labor Department said Thursday. Economists had been expecting claims to fall to 300,000. Claims below that level indicate a strong labor market. Private sector added 212,000 jobs last month, down from January, ADP says Private sector added 212,000 jobs last month, down from January, ADP says In another read on the jobs market, planned layoffs...

First-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits rose by much more than expected in the week ended February 21st, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Thursday. The report said initial jobless claims jumped to 313,000, an increase of 31,000 from the previous week's revised level of 282,000. Economists had expected jobless claims to edge up to 290,000 from the 283,000 originally reported for the previous week. The Labor Department said the less volatile four-week moving average also climbed to 294,500, an increase of 11,500 from the previous week's revised average of 283,000. With the increase, the four-week...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits tumbled last week to its lowest level in nearly 15 years, adding to bullish signals on the labor market. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 43,000 to a seasonally adjusted 265,000 for the week ended Jan. 24, the lowest since April 2000, the Labor Department said on Thursday. It was the biggest weekly decline since November 2012. The drop, which far exceeded economists' expectations for a fall to only 300,000, probably exaggerates the strength of the jobs market as the data included the Martin Luther King...

The number of people who filed for unemployment assistance in the U.S. last week fell less than expected, dampening optimism over the strength of the labor market, official data showed on Thursday. In a report, the U.S. Department of Labor said the number of individuals filing for initial jobless benefits in the week ending January 17 decreased by 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 307,000 from the previous week’s total of 317,000. Analysts had expected initial jobless claims to decline by 17,000 to 300,000 last week. Continuing jobless claims in the week ended January 10 rose to 2.443 million from 2.428...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell last week and job cuts declined sharply in December, suggesting the labor market is tightening. Thursday's reports support views of faster growth this year, driven by consumer spending, despite a faltering global economy. "Labor market conditions continue to improve, providing support for consumers and contributing to a virtuous cycle for the economy," said Jim Baird, chief investment officer at Plante Moran Financial Advisors in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits slipped by 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted 294,000 for the week ended Jan. 3,...

Initial jobless claims finished the year on a so-so note. Claims totaled 298,000 last week, up from last week's 280,000 and worse than expectations for 290,000. Last week's number was also revised up slightly to 281,000. Following the report, economists at BNP Paribas said the four-week moving average in claims remains at low levels — 290,750 — which is consistent with an improving labor market. Initial claims still had a huge year, with 2014's first claims report coming in at 333,000 and claims trending downwards for most of the year.

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, underscoring the economy's sustained strength. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 280,000 for the week ended Dec. 20, the Labor Department said on Wednesday. It was the lowest reading since Nov. 1 and marked the fourth straight week of declines. "The labor market is tightening up. Any job losses are just normal frictional unemployment in a healthy growing economy," said Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist at MUFG Union Bank in New York.

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, suggesting the labor market continued to strengthen. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped by 6,000 to a seasonally adjusted 289,000 for the week ended Dec. 13, the Labor Department said on Thursday. The report came a day after the Federal Reserve offered an upbeat assessment of the labor market and the broader economy, and signaled it could start raising interest rates next year. The U.S. central bank, which has kept its short-term interest rate near zero since December 2008, lowered its unemployment rate forecast on...

First-time claims for unemployment benefits ticked down to 294,000 for the week ending Dec. 6, the Department of Labor reported Thursday, down from 297,000 the week before and right in line with expectations. The four-week moving average remained just below the 300,000 mark, at 299,250, signaling that layoffs remain low amid an expanding labor market. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday that the economy added a healthy 321,000 jobs in November. At 5.8 percent, the unemployment rate has plummeted by 1.2 percentage points over the past year. The total number of workers receiving unemployment insurance fell by 95,846 to...

Initial jobless claims fell back below 300,000 last week as companies sharply reduced planned layoffs in November in a positive sign for the labor market ahead of the monthly jobs report. About 297,000 applied for first-time unemployment benefits, down 17,000 from the previous week's revised level, the Labor Department said Thursday. The figure, which was in line with analyst expectations, remained above the post-Great Recession low of 266,000 reached in October. The less-volatile four-week average was 299,000, up 4,750 from the previous week. Economists say weekly claims below 300,000 are a sign of a healthy job market. Claims had been...

WASHINGTON-The number of Americans seeking first-time jobless benefits leapt last week but remained at a level suggesting steady job growth. Initial jobless claims rose 21,000 to a seasonally adjusted 313,000 in the week ended Nov. 22, the Labor Department said Wednesday. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had expected 289,000 new claims. Updated figures put the prior week's level at 292,000, up from an initially reported 291,000. Last week's spike marked the first time since early September that new claims exceeded 300,000. Jobless claims are volatile, tending to fluctuate week to week. The four-week moving average of jobless claims,...

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week, yet it remained near a 14-year low in a reminder that the labor market appears to be moving toward full health. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 12,000 to 290,000 for the week ended Nov. 8, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a smaller increase. Claims have now been below 300,000 for nine straight weeks, and in October hit their lowest level since 2000 at 266,000. "This increase is nothing to worry about," said Ian Shepherdson, an...

Fewer people applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week, a sign that the job market should continue to improve. The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly applications fell 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 278,000. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, declined 2,250 to 279,000, the lowest level in more than 14 years. Applications are a proxy for layoffs and have fallen 18.5 percent in the past year. This suggests rising economic confidence among businesses, causing them to keep their workers and potentially look to hire more employees. "The Labor Department noted no special factors in this week’s report," Jesse...