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WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of newly laid off people signing up for unemployment benefits rose sharply for the second straight week, suggesting that jobs are still hard to come by even as the economic recovery gains traction. The Labor Department reported Thursday that first-time requests for jobless benefits rose by 24,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 484,000, the highest level since late February. Economists were predicting claims would fall.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The number of newly laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits rose last week, a sign that jobs remain scarce even as the economy recovers. The increase also may result from the difficulty the Labor Department has in seasonally adjusting the claims around the Easter holiday, which falls on different weeks each year. "This is ... a volatile time when the numbers move around quite a bit," a department analyst said. The Labor Department said Thursday that first-time claims increased by 18,000 in the week ended April 3, to a seasonally adjusted 460,000. That's worse than economists' estimates of...

By Irwin Kellner, MarketWatch PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. (MarketWatch) -- The fledgling economic recovery appears to be running out of gas. The fuel for this or any other recovery has to come from the consumer. Purchases of goods and services by people like you and me account for about 70% of gross domestic product, so without our help a recovery could not last too long. Guess what? This is exactly what seems to be happening. Retailers report that, for the most part, shoppers are few and far between. The recent run of economic data is most compelling. Just about all of...

New statistics on the H1N1 swine flu strain show that it is no longer a “pandemic” in the United States, and that fatalities here never came close to the levels projected by the White House last fall. As of Feb. 14, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that more than 212 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory-confirmed cases of “pandemic influenza H1N1 2009,” and 15,921 deaths have been confirmed worldwide. Outbreaks in North and South America are now at a low level, WHO said. “In the Americas, both in the tropical and northern temperate zones, pandemic influenza...

The number of new claims for unemployment benefits jumped unexpectedly last week as heavy snows caused layoffs to rise. WASHINGTON -- The number of new claims for unemployment benefits jumped unexpectedly last week as heavy snows caused layoffs to rise. A Labor Department analyst says mid-Atlantic and New England states are still processing a spike in claims stemming from the bad weather two weeks ago. The department says first-time claims for unemployment insurance rose by 22,000 to a seasonally adjusted 496,000. Wall Street analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected a drop to 455,000. The four-week average, which smooths volatility, rose...

20 Reasons Why The U.S. Economy Is Dying And Is Simply Not Going To Recover Michael The Patriot Blogger Feb. 4, 2010, 10:26 AM Even though the U.S. financial system nearly experienced a total meltdown in late 2008, the truth is that most Americans simply have no idea what is happening to the U.S. economy. Most people seem to think that the nasty little recession that we have just been through is almost over and that we will be experiencing another time of economic growth and prosperity very shortly. But this time around that is not the case. The reality...

<p>WASHINGTON -- The number of newly laid-off workers filing initial claims for jobless benefits rose unexpectedly last week, evidence that layoffs are continuing and jobs remain scarce.</p> <p>The rise is the fourth in the past five weeks. Most economists hoped that claims would resume a downward trend that was evident in the fall and early winter.</p>

Australia’s central bank kept interest rates on hold today in a move that confounded economists and send the country's currency tumbling. The decision by the Reserve Bank of Australia to keep its benchmark interest rate at 3.75pc comes after three consecutive increases by the bank. All of Sydney's top economists surveyed by Bloomberg News had expected an increase to 4pc, as had financial markets. Glenn Stevens, the head of the Reserve Bank, said interest rates were kept on hold because information about the impact on the economy of earlier rises is "still limited." Australia was the first country in the...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A drop in new jobless claims came in short of expectations and factory orders rose only slightly, fresh evidence the economy is recovering at a slow, uneven pace.

WASHINGTON -- Last year's $787 billion economic stimulus bill is going to be even more expensive -- $75 billion more. The new Congressional Budget Office estimate, released Tuesday, provides more ammunition for Republicans who say the stimulus has been long on spending and short on creating promised jobs. The additional cost also eats into the savings forecast from the budget freeze President Barack Obama is expected to propose Wednesday night during his State of the Union address. Almost half of the additional cost, $34 billion, is because the food stamp program won't be able to take advantage of lower-than-expected inflation...

Sales of previously occupied homes took their largest drop in more than 40 years last month yet managed to end 2009 with the first annual gain in four years. Still, prices plunged by more than 12 percent last year — the sharpest fall since the Great Depression. The price drop for 2009 — to a median of $173,500 — showed the housing market remains too weak to help fuel a sustained economic recovery. Total sales for 2009 were nearly 5.2 million, up about 5 percent from 2008. Last month's worse-than-expected showing underscores concerns that the housing market could weaken further...

The Labor Department said Thursday that initial claims for unemployment insurance rose by 36,000 to a seasonally adjusted 482,000.

U.S. stock futures slid on Wednesday after reports showed new home construction fell far more than expected in December. ... Housing starts slid by 4.0% from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted 557,000 annual rate in December, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires had expected starts would dip by 0.2% to an annual rate of 573,000. However, building permits in December jumped 10.9% to a 653,000 annual rate. Economists had expected permits to rise by 0.2% to a rate of 590,000. ... Wednesday's action comes after a stunning upset in Massachusetts, where Republican state...

WASHINGTON – Retail sales unexpectedly fell in December, leaving 2009 with the biggest yearly drop on record and highlighting the formidable hurdles facing the economy as it struggles to recover from the deepest recession in seven decades. In another disappointing economic report, the number of newly laid-off workers requesting unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week as jobs remain scarce. Still, many economists, puzzled by the retail sales decline that follows reports from retailers of brighter holidays, cautioned that the December figures don't necessarily signal a big consumer pullback and could be a blip. SNIP---- Meanwhile, the number of...

Jan. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Sales at U.S. retailers unexpectedly fell in December following a bigger gain than previously estimated the prior month, highlighting the risk that the largest part of the economy will be slow to recover. The 0.3 percent decrease came after a 1.8 percent jump the prior month, Commerce Department figures showed today in Washington. Other reports showed inventories rose more than forecast in November and jobless claims climbed last week. A jobless rate projected to average 10 percent this year, tight credit and depressed home values indicate halting improvement in consumer spending, which accounts for 70 percent...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Retail sales unexpectedly fell in December, leaving 2009 with the biggest yearly drop on record and highlighting the formidable hurdles facing the economy as it struggles to recover from the deepest recession in seven decades. In another disappointing economic report, the number of newly laid-off workers requesting unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week as jobs remain scarce. Still, many economists, puzzled by the retail sales decline that follows reports from retailers of brighter holidays, cautioned that the December figures don't necessarily signal a big consumer pullback and could be a blip. Taking November and December...

Retail sales fell in December as demand for autos, clothing and appliances all slipped, a disappointing finish to a year in which sales had the largest drop on record. The weakness in consumer demand highlighted the formidable hurdles facing the economy as it struggles to recover from the deepest recession in seven decades. The Commerce Department said Thursday that retail sales declined 0.3 percent in December compared with November, much weaker than the 0.5 percent rise that economists had been expecting. Excluding autos, sales dropped by 0.2 percent, also weaker than the 0.3 percent rise analyst had forecast. For the...

<p>The number of newly laid-off workers requesting unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week as jobs remain scarce amid a sluggish economic recovery.</p> <p>The Labor Department said Thursday new claims for unemployment insurance rose by 11,000 to a seasonally adjusted 444,000. Wall Street economists polled by Thomson Reuters expected an increase of only 3,000.</p>

WASHINGTON -- The number of newly laid-off workers requesting unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week as jobs remain scarce amid a sluggish economic recovery. The Labor Department said Thursday new claims for unemployment insurance rose by 11,000 to a seasonally adjusted 444,000. Wall Street economists polled by Thomson Reuters expected an increase of only 3,000.

Restaurant joins handful of local eateries to recently shutter. Dolan's Restaurant in central Boulder was seized this week by state agents for unpaid taxes, and a handwritten sign on the door indicates the eatery has closed for good. Dolan's closure comes amid a spate of Boulder restaurants and cafes that recently have gone out of business. Within the past two weeks, Bimbamboo, Burnt Toast, Sidney's Coffee, Coffee Sanctuary and the b.side Lounge all shuttered. They join others such as Sunflower, the Scotch Corner Pub and Seven Eurobar, which also closed in late 2009. Starting a restaurant in a weak economy...